Frontline-Hearts
by Y. Okamura
Summary: The year was 1941, the world is ravaged once more by the curse of War. But in the midst of chaos and despair, Nine brave souls will discover something that still exists during humanity's darkest hours. Initial pairings are Eli Maki, and Nozo Nico. May change during story's progression.
1. The Rising Sun

Introduction: Hello everyone! I am Lieutenant Bird, and this is my first fic. I still feel kinda nervous but I'd just like to get this thought out of my head. :)

(I am pretty deep into the Love Live pit. . . ever since that fateful episode back at season one where Nozomi was groping Maki.)

I'm interested in world history, (weird eh?) and I fail horribly at math. (who doesn't?) :D

I am also curious about the different nation's culture and traditions, and also about snow. (I wish it snows here) (TwT)

And during my free time after work, I just spend it on some research and a little bit of muse. :3

Okay, that's about it. may we be friends. *bows*

And, I don't want to incite any hatred against any nation featured here. The past is past, but we should not forget the sacrifices our forefathers had made during our world's darkest hours; whether they're American, Australian,Austrian,British, Bulgarian, Canadian, Chinese, Filipino, Finn,French, German, Indian, Indonesian, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Malay, Norwegian, Russian, Romanian, Thai and any other nationalities that I may have overlooked.

All in all, everyone of them deserves to be remembered, no matter where their allegiances lay. and each of them has a story to tell, personified by the nine girls which I admire.

Please feel free to correct me though, for I am very prone to making a lot of grammatical errors. :(

Disclaimer: Love Live is the sole property of Sunrise alone.

* * *

 _War: the most horrible atrocity man could ever do on another human being. Nation versus nation, brother against brother, ideologies and religions clash, justice vanishes, brutality thrives. All these for the sake of satisfying the interest of leaders at the expense of people's lives._

 _Nobody wanted to participate in such grim endeavour, but were forced or obliged to join anyway because of duty, adventure, fame, patriotism, or being lured by the promise of riches and redemption._

 _But amid this chaos of war, will love ever have a chance to blossom and flourish?_

* * *

 **Act 1. The Rising Sun**

 _The year was 1940, barely four decades after the world entered a new century. Many new scientific breakthroughs were made in the field of medicine, engineering, and transportation that surpassed the discoveries of the last millennia combined. The Great War was long over, the world at peace, families reunited, and nations enjoyed harmonious relationship with their neighbours._

 _Or so they thought..._

 _Secretly they were developing new weapons, better doctrines and tactics to be deployed in the battlefield just in case the need arises. Nationalism was the word of the day and dictators soon rose to power, taking the opportunity to convince the people to rebel against their own government with the spurious promise of restoring their country's former glory. But in reality, they are using "justifiable" causes to push forward their own hidden agendas..._

 _There are indeed wolves wearing sheep's clothing . . ._

 _Europe held its breath as one-by-one; territories were forcibly taken by an army that believed their righteous cause. People lost their homes, their families, and also their lives._

 _Europe is in chaos once again..._

 _Meanwhile in the Orient, people were still busy engaging in their usual affairs unaware of the threat posed by their neighbour to the north, which had seized several territories belonging to the nation of Cathay in a matter of months and were expanding fast in the direction of the Philippine archipelago._

 _And now, a new chapter in the history of man unfolds; as told from the eyes of those who lived through it._

* * *

 **Chapter 1: Daybreak's Bell**

 _The United States Armed Forces of the Far East, America's iron hand which stands guard over the Asian realm; established during the early days of 1941 to counter any "crisis" posed by the Nipponese Empire. Composed of almost 150,000 various personnel scattered throughout the jewelled islands; it was known to be a force to be reckoned with, backed by the mighty Asiatic fleet which was docked on the northern province of Zambales._

 _Composed of American, Filipino, and immigrants from the conquered lands, it worked hand in hand to bring security and stability on the entire region; and all the while, fostered fair equality within their ranks._

 _Among those who joined this ragtag group was a Chinese orphan; a silent witness of the brutalities committed by the Empire of the Rising Sun. She was a child who once believed on a brighter future, but was stripped bare of everything she held dear and now lived on a foreign land which she had already considered as her "second home."_

* * *

The air was warm and crisp that fateful Monday morning; the loud howling of the bugle rang out a very familiar tune of the reveille, a call for every soldier to prepare themselves for another day of duty. Within a small dimly lit room; a young soul sat at the edge of her bed, looking out the window where the bright vermillion rays of the rising sun poked above the fort's imposing walls.

Wearing only a white tank top with black cycling shorts; her figure shone through the smooth flaxen cloth, which kind of bothered her for she doesn't want everyone else to see whatever she was hiding underneath.

Everyone thought of her as an immaculate; a flower in full bloom under the moonlight's gloomy shade, glistening its vibrant glow for the eyes of men to cherish and admire from afar. But deep inside, she was nothing more than a demented soul who longed for revenge; a lonely orphan who experienced the horrors of war first hand.

Those lilac eyes which had kept its lustre all these years were always filled with spite and lustful regret; for she was unable to defend her loved ones from the hands of the soldiers of the rising sun. A bastard living on a foreign land, she clawed to gain her place within the ranks of the commonwealth just to get back on that certain footman: the imperial marine who didn't think twice of taking her mother's life away.

Her blood boiled at the mere mention of the word "Yamato" and "Family", for it reminded her of the suffering she had been through; while altogether rejecting her faith on the almighty which the redhead felt was asleep during her greatest time of need.

"There is no God, and I am a living proof of it. Everything only happened by chance, and I grasped every trickle of opportunity I could, just to live." The girl mumbled as her crimson hair covered those coveted amethyst orbs which glared out like that of a panther; filled to the core with hate.

Then something caught her attention, a succinct shade of vermillion spread across the floor; like that of her mother's blood which dripped through the woollen carpet. Seeing this almost made her cry out from the grief which brewed from within her callous heart; but then she realized that there was someone else with her, and took a quick glance below to see a young blonde who was still fast asleep like a rock while snoring as if it was her own castle, one of the contributing factors for the girl's rude awakening.

 _I remember now, that I am not alone anymore. . ._

Careful not to startle the groaning Russian below; she carefully tread down the short wooden ladder and promptly picked up her brown ankle boots from underneath the bunk then sat on a chair overlooking the window.

 _I wonder how my countrymen are doing right now? Did they continue to fight, or cowered into the blackness just like me?_

The girl thought as she picked up a couple of sable knee socks from her boot; then unrolled it over those porcelain white legs, which was clean and had no signs of a scratch whatsoever.

 _My body may look like that of nobility, but I lived a life of a peasant after I lost my home._

As she was unfurling the right sock, her mind flashed back the painful memories she had when her mother was murdered; and soon, bitterness crept into her heart like the looming jaws of night.

"Someday, I'll redeem my wounded pride . . ." She whispered under her breath after finishing the chore and proceeded to walk away from her seat and take her crisp khaki uniform which was neatly folded inside her olive green duffle bag.

 _They said moving on is the best solution for any problem; but if they were on my shoes, would they feel the same? If they witnessed their loved one being impaled right in front of their eyes, could they still mutter that cursed advice? I guess not, silly hypocrites._

"You are early as always Maki; can't you just take it easy for a while?" A gentle voice suddenly interrupted her chain of thoughts; and Maki turned around and saw her superior, crossing her dainty legs over the gray bed sheet.

"Easy for you to say officer." She quipped while putting on her pants; which made the blonde lieutenant giggle with joy.

"Don't tell me you're too shy to show off those legs of yours?" the Russian replied with a slight hint of teasing on her domineering voice.

"It's none of your business Eli." The redhead then returned to sit by the window to wear her ankle boots.

The blonde then flexed her arms and gave off a very loud yawn; which was then followed by a quick burp, making Maki cringe like she heard a pair of fingernails scratching a blackboard.

"Can't you act more decently Eli? Geez, hearing you burp gives me the creeps!" She then rolled her eyes and continued on to organize her clothes which was crumpled badly after she took the uniform off.

"Well, deal with it. Oh, a few days more and it's Christmas . . . So you should come with me to San Jacinto and shop for decors and additional supplies."

"Yeah, yeah . . . Whatever." The redhead's nonchalant reply made Eli frown, but she still flashed a shallow grin; then fixed her bunk just in case of inspection.

"Uhm, would you like to join for our Christmas party on the 24th?" The blonde lieutenant asked while folding holding the grey woollen blanket against her chest.

"What for? I had already told you that I don't want to take part on such absurd celebrations. Especially if it's about somebody who doesn't even exist." Then after finding out that her things were a snug fit; Maki closed it up with a zip, and turned around to confront her Russian superior.

"Sorry about that Eli, I hope you understand that I could be a bit of a jerk especially when it's early in the morning . . ." She meekly gave out an apology, which the blonde happily responded with a very sweet giggle.

"It's okay Maki, we've been buddies for the past four years . . . Of course I understand." Eli then neatly placed the blanket on the bed's head rest; and dropped on the floor to perform some push-ups.

"H-hey, remember when we first met?" the lieutenant inquired while struggling to push her weight off the floor; Maki then gave off a smug look on her face, and replied:

"Of course, how could I forget that? You made me look like a fool." She then did the same and dropped on all fours beside her best friend; synchronizing her motion together with the blonde's.

"Hehe, It is a long standing tradition amongst the corps to test the will of their plebes; and hey, you are one very strong gal Maki . . . You made others feel like they're girls." The blonde then gave a pant as she lowered her arms to suspend her torso a mere inch above the floor; all the while breaking off a sweat from the repetitive motion.

"W-what can I say? I am already immune to pain." Maki then looked at the gleaming waxed floor and saw a distorted reflection of her face; which appeared to have a tear dripping out of its blurry purple eyes.

 _Perhaps, I'm not that strong emotionally after all._

"Hey. . ." Eli then lifts her body up again, and looked to the sergeant who was also in sync with her and asked, "Wanna race until twenty?" She then finished the sentence with a very naughty grin drawn across her very smooth porcelain like face.

Already used towards the blonde's challenges; Maki smiled back and responded with a sarcastic tone: "Sure, and whoever loses will follow whatever the victor requests for a day."

the redhead then lowered her torso quickly, starting the wager against her stronger superior for a cheap shot at winning.

 _If I can't win against you in a fair fight, I'd might as well resort to cheating!_

"Hey, no fair! I haven't given the signal to start yet!" Eli protested, but the sergeant was already crunching up numbers like a horse being chased by a horde of foxes; eager at gaining bragging rights against the blonde.

"L-look at that! I had already finished two complete repetitions, you better start now granny or I'll make you pay for our dinner tonight!" after finishing the sentence, Maki felt her arms were trembling horribly after the successive thrusts against the floor; causing her to stop even before making the third crunch, but pretended that she was fine by drawing a smile on her dainty cheeks.

 _Oh shit, I'm screwed._

"One, two, three- One!" the Lieutenant chimed in cadence while pushing her weight against the floor at each individual count; completely ignoring the redhead who was clearly in trouble, paralyzed from the waist down by fatigue.

Man, I don't want to lose against this blondie! Shit, shit, shit . . . I must think of a way to distract her attention!

Her lilac eyes panned furiously at room's darkened corners to find something that could ruin her superior's concentration; then remembered something which could make the blonde melt at her feet, while her pupils flashed a tiny glint of hope at the thought that she could make her superior forget about the wager altogether.

"Hey, Eli . . ." Maki called out, but Eli was still muttering the counts which was dangerously approaching the fifth mark; and much to her horror, successfully pulled off twenty push ups against her meagre count of three.

 _Damn it, too late._

The blonde then stood up and dusted her tank top; looking down at the redhead who was still stuck at the initial position.

"Wow, cheating does get you nowhere." She then puts a hand below her chin, like she was in deep thought. Maki then got up and tried to reason out why she lost, as always.

"Eh? I wasn't cheating! I thought you were already starting so . . ."

Eli then looked straight onto her lilac orbs that was stuttering out of guilt over her blue ones; and returned the wager like a huge slap against her face.

"Whoever loses will follow whatever the victor requests for a day."

Feeling that everything was lost, the sergeant just scratched her arm and looked away; trying to hide the shame of defeat as evidenced by her flushed cheeks.

"W-what do you w-want me to d-do, ma'am?"

"I'll just think of it later. Anyway, see you on the showers!" Eli then grabbed a towel from her bag, and ran out of the room like an overhyped toddler; leaving Maki to enjoy her newfound peace.

 _That blondie is getting to my nerves. . ._

She then meticulously tied the boot's laces until it formed a bow; and repeated the same process with her other pair, all the while deep in thought about the notion that the Japanese are already making their move to conquer the rest of Asia.

 _They weren't content of invading my nation, and set their eyes once more for greater glories to satiate its greed for resources; while the west just looked away from the plight of my people, and only gave them stern words instead of suppressing their lust for battle with an iron hand._

Maki then hurriedly picked up her pink towel that hung by the bunk's side railing and hurriedly rushed towards the showers; passing by a long corridor filled with doors and mumbling snores.

"Wow, the reveille had already been sung; and they're still fast asleep?"

Turning left, the redhead stopped by the locker room and sat on a long wooden bench; initially undoing the bow tie with ease, while sweat dripped down her brow for she was on a hurry before the boys came thundering in to take a bath.

Girls were selectively inducted into the commonwealth's armed forces during that time; for after passing a written exam and a rigorous selection process, they will undergo the same duration of training just like the boys: Six months for grunts and a whole year for aspiring officers. Then to further add for their woes, the tradition of hazing were common among the plebes; as seniors would beat their junior's posteriors with paddles and punch their abdomens after giving them a stroll on the deep woods behind their training centre, in utter blackness and blindfolds.

This was something which these two souls had endured just to accomplish their respective goals; that they will never forget as long as they live at the difficulty of earning a rank, patch, and uniform which signified their commitment to the country they served.

 _A country which gave them another chance at life._

And after that painful graduation, they were forced to share the same facilities together with their male counterparts; and to make things much more awkward than it already was is the fact that . . . Eli and Maki are the only belles on the entire Marine Regiment, while the rest who did enter service were distributed among the army and medical corps; each of them on their respective barracks with the same situation.

Then they were assigned only to non combatant roles; as Eli was charged at supplies and logistics, while Maki is her sole assistant. Every week they would venture into the cobbled streets of neighboring San Jacinto just to buy food for their comrades, but now that it's Christmas; it's going to be one hell of a trip towards the market.

" _Damn it!"_ Maki cursed while feverishly undoing the criss-crossing lace on her boot; when suddenly, a very cold hand touched her exposed nape.

"W-what the?!" the startled redhead jumped off from the bench and faced the conceived apparition, which just turned out to be Eli; already covering her body with the white scruffy towel.

"Next time, don't be shy to ask for a pair of slippers." She then puts a pair of yellow slippers on the bench; while Maki breathed a sigh of relief and responded like a very meek sheep.

"Okay, I'll remember that . . . Thanks."

"Well then, I'll be standing guard outside just in case some guy would love to take a peek of your . . ." Eli jests while opening the locker to grab a fresh, neatly folded uniform; earning a very rude reply from the flustered sergeant.

"Shut up!" Maki's face suddenly displayed a very lush shade of red; then immediately grabbed the slippers and trudged towards the showers that were connected to the room by a small corridor.

"What the fuck is wrong with her?" She grumbled as she stepped into the shower room; where individuals could take leisure of cleaning off, separated by only a very thin piece of varnished plywood.

 _Imagine if I shared it with men . . . Ugh, the horror._

After observing the entire area for a while; the redhead then stepped into one of the cubicles, which was devoid of any sort of cover to keep others from watching her nude body being caressed by the cooling waters.

 _Man, Eli is so fearless . . . I wish I could be more like her._

She thought while turning on the lever which responded with a very sharp creak; followed by a stream of pure crystalline water which poured like a gentle sputter of rain.

"So . . . Cold. . ." the girl then looked down to see her hands; now twitching from the eerie chill she felt crawling through her arms. Soon, a stark memory followed; together with an apparition of her dead mother lying limp on her arms, emitting the same ghastly chill she had experienced before.

"N-no . . . What's the meaning of this?" Her face became distorted from the pain bickering within her chest; thinking of the incident she'll never forget for the rest of her life. And as she sulked on that small cubicle; Maki saw the water became tinged by a crimson hue, making the poor girl shriek out of fear.

As soon as the shrill was heard; Eli immediately ran towards her friend's aid, and saw the redhead sitting at the corner of the cramped space, hugging herself while the shower kept pouring water on her very smooth pale skin.

"M-maki? W-what happened?" the blonde then tapped her subordinate's shoulder, which responded with a twitch.

"E-eli . . . Oh, it was . . . Nothing." She then rose up from the tiled floor and covered her private parts accordingly; and flushed again once more after realizing that her friend had seen her body.

"Nothing? But I heard you scream out in torment! Is there something which I need to know right now?" Eli tried to squeeze some bit of information from her, but Maki just turned her back and quipped:

"I told you, it's nothing . . . I just saw a huge cockroach running along, so please, can I have a moment of privacy?"

Hearing the girl's response, the lieutenant then returned to the lockers to do what she was previously doing; leaving Maki to curse herself for refusing any kind of help, especially from a dear friend.

 _I hope she understands . . . that there are some things which need to be kept under lock and key._

After a few minutes of freshening up; Maki returned to the locker room and saw Eli, neatly dressed up like a respectable officer she is. Her crisp tanned uniform clearly compliments her hourglass figure; while those golden locks were tied into a pig tail by a white ribbon. The redhead covered her mouth just to hide its gape, and pretended to ignore her superior who also busy at organizing her stuff.

"Eli . . ." She asked while stealing some glimpses at the blonde, the latter then closed the locker's door and replied: "What is it Maki?"

"I have a gut feeling . . ." the redhead replied with a bit of uncertainty on her voice. Eli then crossed her arms and faced the sergeant who was still draped by the towel; nervously scouring her things inside the cast iron hull of the locker.

"About what?"

"I think the Japanese are going to make their move on these islands." She then closed the iron door and faced her friend who was now sporting an ice cold gaze towards her. Seeing this, Maki was blushing once more from sheer embarrassment and hid behind another set of lockers; making the blonde giggle while calling out:

"Hey, there's no need to be shy! We're of the same sex, so what could you possibly hide from me?"

"Shut it Blondie!" She retorted with a groan, and hurriedly puts on her underwear as the blonde replied to her previous statement.

"So? What are we going to do about it if they made a move then?"

"Nothing . . ." She then leaned against the steel skin; then turned her head in hopes of maintaining eye contact with the blonde while putting on her pants.

"Good, and don't worry about them Maki . . . because just in case they do, we'll easily turn them back from whence they came." Eli confidently bragged while combing her hair. Hearing this, Maki then turned her gaze away in disgust and buzzed,

"Don't be so sure about that Eli . . . I saw them fight, and they're way fiercer than you think they are."

"You are such a worrywart dear, there's no way that those gooks would dare rise against the might of our nation." The blonde then sat on the bench and wore her skin toned stockings.

Maki then got out of cover and sat right next to her superior, toiling once more on cross-tying the laces on her boots. While doing so, she turned her head and continued once more with the solemn exchange of opinions.

"But, what if they did . . . aren't you scared that you will lose your home Eli?" This time her voice's tone was like that of a child, something which tugged at Eli's heart for it sounded like it was held by an orphan; begging for a loaf of bread on the side of a road. Her blue eyes then met with lilac ones while the once stern and bland voice was replaced by that of a mother's; in order to soothe the fear within her best friend's heart.

"Yes, I am scared at the thought of losing everything I hold dear Maki. And I also wish to express my deepest condolences for losing yours . . . Then hope that they won't set their sights upon this land." She then saw the sergeant look away and busied herself on tying the other pair.

"I'm sorry for putting up that silly topic, it's all because I had observed that our regulations are lax and discipline was almost non-existent within our ranks Eli . . ." Maki then puts her left foot up the bench to wear her knee high black socks; tediously rolling it once more over her smooth pasty skin.

"It's okay. It had been a long time since we had a tinge of seriousness on our discussion Maki." The Lieutenant then stood up and looked at her silver plated wristwatch; and saw that it was almost seven, its minute hand slowly ticking towards the 10th mark.

"Anyway, shall we go now? It's almost seven . . . and we must beat the others at procuring the much needed supplies."

The sergeant then quickly buttoned the signature white gaiters to cover just below her knee; as a means of added protection and conformity to the regulations of the Armed Forces.

"Yes ma'am, I am ready." She then tapped against the ground; impressing her officer who wore a garrison cap over her crown.

"Now that's my sergeant!" Eli giggled and continued on, "Okay then, guard me while we graze through the markets for goods; pickpockets are quite rampant these days . . . And I don't want to lose our entire budget of five hundred dollars."

"So, you have a list of what to buy?" the redhead then wore her NCO's garrison cap; further identified by a small pin which was shaped like the signature triple chevrons of a full-fledged sergeant on its right broad side.

"Of course, now let's hurry up before we run out of time!" Then they dashed out towards the corridor; the pitter patter of their shoes reverberated through the halls, making the boys open their doors as they passed.

The two then stopped their skittery escapade through the hall when they saw someone walking towards them at a leisurely pace; a very tall old man with grey hair, wearing a pair of black aviator glasses and a lopsided grin on his face while his khaki uniform bore a pair of red shoulder boards with two silver stars nestled at its centre.

"Great, it's that weird general again . . . Eli, er I mean ma'am . . . do what you do best." Maki then yielded and stood at attention; while the lieutenant stepped forward and gave off a snappy salute to the fort's commander.

"Well, there's no need to salute me for now Ayase . . . don't be so uptight, at ease." He then gestured to turn it down; and the blonde returned her hand to its rightful place.

"Anyway, I was also on my way to find you; and thank goodness we met on this whitewashed corridor!" He gladly exclaimed while laughing like he had no care on the world whatsoever; the duo just looked at each other and the redhead hunched her shoulders, kind of speechless at the moment.

"Ayase!"

"Y-yes sir?!" the blonde immediately straightened up and the old man continued on, "I have a very simple request for you."

"Fire away sir!" Maki then saw her superior's fist clenched like a rock which made her think:

 _What the fuck kind of reaction is that? Why does she respect this old fart so much?_ She then locked her amethyst orbs towards the man's coat and saw the surname: Mc Arthur.

"Hoho, I'm going to entrust you five hundred bucks; and go buy me the finest wine from a bar situated in Binondo." The general muttered while pulling out the crisp bills like a flush of cards.

During those days, five hundred dollars was roughly the same wage as that of a Master Sergeant's; which increased by increments of fifty at each elevation of rank. Maki earned three hundred for being an NCO while Eli, a full-fledged commissioned officer is being paid for five and a quarter; plus some bonuses from her logistics department and extra pocket money from doing this old man's errands.

"Sir, I'd like to ask a question though; what is the name of the bar?" She tried to make sure just in case, for the last thing she'll ever want to do was to make her superior disappointed over a cheap bottle of wine.

"Look for a restaurant with some Korean sounding word on it. . . It kind of rhymes with kimchi, bibinbap and stuff like that . . . Man, It had been a long time since I visited the mainland so my memory is kinda rusty; but I am forced to plant my foot here because of the very high pile of reports that I should relay to main headquarters, not to mention the Moro insurrections on the south and communist insurgency on the Cordilleras. So I'm counting on you Eli, and in case the bartender asks . . . Tell him that it's for the pied piper, and he'll immediately give it to you without any more hassle."

He then picks up a gold encrusted pocket watch and remarked, "Well, you better hurry; the boat will leave sometime when the minute hand strikes nine."

Eli then replied with a nod and taps on Maki's shoulder, and took their strides once more through the white washed corridors of the Marine's five storey barracks.

"Those kids, I reckon that they'll have a bright future waiting for them." The general then pulled out a pipe, poured some tobacco on it, and proceeded to light up with a match; billowing grey puffs of smoke which covered his weary visage.

* * *

"Eli! Hey, wait up!" Maki yelled out as the blonde quickly turned left on the corridor; her blonde locks waved through the air like a scarf, while the redhead huffed and puffed for she was still quite a weakling when it comes to running as opposed to her mountain dwelling superior.

"You better quicken your pace granny, for this is the last boat to Manila Harbour . . . and I can't let this chance come to pass, so come on!" She hollered back; ignoring the subordinate's feverish panting from a distance.

"But . . . *Huff* I can't . . . *Puff* go any faster!" the sergeant squirmed while leaning against a wall. Eli heard that her friend's pace had abruptly stopped; so she backtracked her steps and tried to give a small sense of comfort to her ailing friend.

"Just a little more buddy, and we'll hitch a ride as soon as we leave this building." She cooed while patting the girl's sweat drenched back. Maki then looked up with a very pitiful look on her face, making the blonde giggle at her expense.

"What the hell is so funny? Don't you see I'm suffering here?" Her pitiable look was soon replaced by that of frustration; but Eli kept on tittering and replied, "Okay, okay . . . But you look so innocent when you're like that."

Upon hearing the blonde's seemingly sarcastic response; the redhead's face became flushed once more, not of because of embarrassment . . . But of sheer annoyance.

"What do you even mean by that?! Are you trying to prove something here?"

The lieutenant then locked her arm against hers and beamed, "Nothing buddy! Calm down, I'll help you carry your weight around the hall."

Maki felt her friend's muscles rubbing against her own, making her feel quite uneasy at the fact that the Russian could easily pin her on the ground when the need arose.

 _She's too strong . . . and I can't resist her at all. Is this what I would've become if I became even more diligent during training?_

"Hold on okay? We're almost there!" then she felt her legs being pushed by a force much stronger than hers, further adding her admiration on the blonde superior.

 _Eli . . . I can sense that I could trust you with my life._

She then looked at the front and saw a blinding light emanating from the windows which bordered arch leading to the field; making the redhead draw out a lopsided smile under her tomato red cheeks.

 _Finally, my trial is over . . . for now._

The lieutenant managed to drag her subordinate through the short flight of steps down the barrack's entrance; where a green drabbed jeep was waiting for them. Eli then dumped the weary sergeant on the backseat while she rode shotgun; much to the driver's amazement.

"Good morning ma'am, going shopping again?" He beamed while cranking the gear stick; causing the automobile to roar as it prepared to roll down the circular track towards the main gate.

"Yes, and make it quick . . . it's almost seven thirty-five, and I can't afford to lose the boat." She answered with a very cold demeanour, making the private gulp down and step hard on the pedal.

"I assure you that this will only take a few minutes, so hold on tight ma'am."

"Surprise me." She raised an eyebrow, making the man blush as he diverted his gaze towards the road ahead. Meanwhile at the backseat, Maki was just staring blankly at the clear indigo sky; hoping to shrug off the heavy feeling she had on her chest.

 _I have a gut feeling about this day . . . something's not right here._

The jeep rolled through the rough dusty terrain, kicking up clouds of dirt on its wake while making the blonde holler out like the giddy girl she was. Meanwhile, the Chinese exile just rested against the brown leather seat; holding onto a small white sun patch, a constant reminder of her identity and the cause she stood for all these years.

Her lilac eyes was covered by a thin mantle of tears as she looked onto its gleaming visage, for it once guarded her cherished homeland; which was now engulfed by the blood stained rays of the rising sun, which fell like a wilted rose under their proud martial strides.

She couldn't move on from the bitterness she felt within her heart; for years she had been preparing herself in case she meets that soldier once more, to exact the brewing vendetta she kept under her immaculate guise.

 _Someday, I'll kill you . . . together with all of your wretched kind._

Maki's memory about the murderer was somewhat blurry, and all she remembered was that it possessed a very strong shade of red on its eyes; something which haunted her dreams ever since that fateful event.

Her thoughts were then interrupted by the sudden jolt of the jeep when it hit some rocks; which startled the redhead and caused her to plant her face against her superior's nape.

*Oohmf!*

"Ouch! Hey!" Eli then turned and saw the sergeant laughing sheepishly; and scolded the driver for being too reckless.

"Watch the road will you?! You almost threw us off!" The private just responded with a sarcastic smile; pissed off at the fact that it was the blonde who ordered him to drive like he's the king of the road.

She then returned her attention to the redhead and said, "You too Maki, behave yourself."

Maki then returned to recline against the seat, supporting her elbow against the railing while muttering something under her breath: "It wasn't my fault, for it was you who gave out tall orders in the first place."

Then after the nostalgic panorama of lush groves of trees and sparse bamboo houses, the red haired sergeant breathed out a sigh of relief when she finally saw the cerulean waters of Manila Bay; gleaming in all its glory as the sun's golden beam struck against its mirror like surface, even if it has risen at the opposite direction.

 _Beautiful . . . Just like what I saw when I was a child, staring at the sunset on Hangzhou Bay._

Their ride slowly ascended on an incline, towards the harbour where a large barnacle ridden chartered boat was docked; its skipper blowing its high pitched whistle warily to beckon any interested parties to quicken their pace or wait for another day.

Corregidor was a tadpole like Island situated at the centre of the bustling bay; making it a strategic guard post against invaders. Not surprisingly, a town was situated at its tail, and its inhabitants reaped the benefits of having a military installation close by. Shops were erected complete with everything they needed, and Eli together with her grumpy sergeant shopped for supplies there many times over; but the thought of crossing the bay and step upon Manila's metropolitan atmosphere was something which this pair would never want to pass, making Maki forget her woes altogether and became as hyped up as her superior.

"I can't wait to step once more on Manila Eli!" She beamed out while stepping off the plank leading towards the boat's mold infested deck.

"Me too! For it's going to be my first time!" Hearing this, the redhead raised an eyebrow and replied,

"How so? I thought you came through there on your way towards this island?"

Eli shook her head in sheer disagreement and retorts, "I came through Bataan, because I live on the mountainous region of the Cordilleras."

"No wonder you're as tough as the carabao." She then ended the sentence with a laugh filled with a hit of sarcasm.

"Anyway, prepare yourself for our wager once we arrive there . . ." After hearing the dreaded word; Maki then zipped her lip and tried to divert the blonde's attention.

"Hey look, a seagull!" She mused while pointing at a portion of the gleaming sea; but Eli didn't fall for the trick and remarked, "How mature of you, trying to divert my attention . . ."

"B-but . . ." the sergeant tried to reason out, but the blonde's blank stare went through her soul like a gorgon's gaze; causing her to stutter some more; which was silenced when the skipper blew the final whistle, a sure sign that the ferry would leave for the bustling metropolis.

"All aboard!" he then requested his assistant to pull the boarding plank on the deck; while the dock master untied the rope which held the boat into place, and waved goodbye to the passengers as it tediously skimmed through the sky kissed water.

It was just another Monday, but half the world away it was Sunday; the seventh of December 1941. People were going about on their daily lives, woefully oblivious of the danger which lurked on the high seas and lush jungles of the Pacific; for Yamato secretly massed troops on the fringes of their targeted neighbours, namely the 21st Army on the border of French Indo-China, tasked to seize the important oil fields and sweep towards Malaya, the 14th Army on the island of Formosa, already on its way towards the Island of Luzon, the 15th Army which was tasked to occupy the scattered Islands of western pacific to act as a barrier against the Americans, and the 13th Army to overrun the Dutch and British installations on Indonesia and New Guinea. While their far advanced navy were also dispatched to aid the landing operations, namely the Second Imperial fleet roving the waters near the oil rich countries of Indo-China; responsible for the entire South East Asian region, and the notorious First Imperial Fleet steaming towards the islands of Hawaii, ready to induce a crippling blow against the American fleet stationed at Pearl Harbour.

And little did they know, their lives will never be the same again as their world will be plunged into utter darkness by the storm that was about to rage over their land.

* * *

I wrote this in memory of my late grandfather, a soldier who served under the Philippine Army during the Second World War.


	2. Sei-Ran

A/N: Sorry about that Dash, I felt that there's a need to clear things up because it seemed that the previous version was kinda rushed . . .(It's got something to do about things I'll do once September ends.)

But, I still have to choose this long path of refinement, rather than leave something that was harried just because of time's merciless restraint.

Forgive me for I am bad at summarizing stuff, and also for my English which is sort of limited at the moment.

But I'll do my best!

Disclaimer: Love Live is the sole property of Sunrise alone. I don't own anything except this patch of random scribbles. :)

* * *

 _Dai Nippon Teikoku Kaigun, which literally meant "the Navy of the Greater Japanese Empire" or the IJN was Japan's main fleet arm which projected its nation's will upon its seemingly endless nautical borders. Together with their notoriously brutish counterpart; the IJA, they conquered vast tracts of land from the far numerous but ill equipped Chinese with unparalleled ferocity and fanaticism that was further evidenced by the barbarity they had committed during their campaigns._

 _Believing that their cause is justified and right, they were not afraid to stand against their larger neighbours to the point of challenging the might of the Soviet Union at the desolate steppes of Mongolia; in an episode known as the "Nomonhan Incident" or the battles of Khalkyn Gol and Lake Khasan two years prior._

 _Spurred on by their victories, their confidence and morale far exceeded the grim reality that they were residing on a small nation which lay at the fringes of a vast ocean; bordered by lands which vastly outnumbered them in terms of logistics and men. As soon the news of their deeds reached the west; they wasted no time at giving them a fair warning to either they quit their Imperialist desires or face a trade embargo that will surely spell the death of their nation._

 _Even if they knew the risks, the thought of conquest and national pride further outweighed the notion of giving up their principles and vehemently refused; by which the triple alliance enforced the penalty of defiance with nothing short of consideration._

 _The Empire was hit hard by the west's merciless constraint, and riots frequented the city streets as nationalists tried to overthrow the government by the choice of words. Meanwhile within the ranks of the armed forces, nationalism took root and soon factions rose up and fought a bitter power struggle over who is right._

 _One tried to sue a deal with the west to usher in an era of peace and prosperity, while the other rejected any further negotiation and opted for a violent show of force; putting all their faith on the shoulders of their battle hardened soldiers._

 _In the end the upheaval had finally ceased to exist when a man who despised the Allies rose into the title of prime minister; effectively reuniting the factions for a common cause._

 _Unbeknownst to them, the Japanese had already sharpened their blades for war; secretly developing newer and more advanced weaponry than their own, especially that which concerned with the relatively fresh concept of aviation which they believed will be the key to deal a single, yet decisive and final blow against their oppressors._

 _Now they are on a warpath to prove once and for all who the true master of the Pacific is; and to settle the score against the nations which wrought much suffering upon their land, namely the triple Alliance who had long held Asia under their gluttonous whim._

 _They thought they could curb the will of the sons of Nippon, a fateful decision that will invoke a storm in the Pacific._

 **Chapter 2: Sei-Ran**

 _I am not doing this for the empress nor the empire, but for the honour of my family who guided me at every step of the way._

"Yukiho . . . wake up."

A gentle feminine voice of someone from the distant past awakened a young soul from its dreamy trance; her aquamarine orbs slowly opened up to adjust at the phosphorescent light of the dying moon. She gave off a yawn then sat at bed with a dazed look on her face, staring intently at the small porthole where the star spangled sky illuminated the jet black surface of the sea.

"Onee-chan . . . I miss you so much." Mumbled the girl with a gurgled tone then reached out for a small hand towel that was of chequered design.

With a slight push, she walked towards the sink that was right next to the bunk she slept on and opened the faucet to dampen the piece of cloth.

The eerie chill of the water made her squirm, but she kept the towel soaked on its pillar like stream and was rewarded with a cool yet comforting wipe.

She took off her sable tank top together with the strapped on bra, exposing a body that was just on its way to becoming a full-fledged woman.

 _Man, if I was compared to my sister; we're obviously worlds away from each other._ Yukiho thought as she rubbed off the lingering grime, all the while flashing off a lopsided smile as the cloth precariously caressed her exposed skin.

As she enjoyed herself with the cleaning ritual, A knock echoed from the door; followed by the sudden creak which caused her to put the clothes back on out of panic; and cringed as the trapped cold air licked her skin under the flaxen cloth.

"Ohayo Gozeimasu, Yukiho san!" A dark figure barged in, a girl who had her purple hair tied to a high ponytail and wore a leather flight suit; all in the ready to set out for their mission.

"Fukuda! You should've waited for my response!" She protested with a blush on her face.

"Sumimasen Yukiho chan , I thought you were still sleeping so . . ." the girl bowed out in response.

"It is still considered rude if you enter without proper notice! Don't you know about the regulations?" The redhead snapped, but the purplenette came closer and puts a cup of steamy coffee on the table.

"There's no need for you to carry that for me, I was about to come out and grab one of those." But even if she appeared to be against Fumiko's act, deep inside she was happy that someone took a bother of looking out for her.

 _Fumiko, you are a true friend indeed, and I am thankful that I met you here._

"Now, now . . . Don't worry about it Kousaka san, that's what friends do; always extending a helping hand!" Fumiko then shifted her gaze to the open porthole and closed it up out of concern for her superior.

"It's not healthy to leave this open, especially that the winds are even colder after a storm had passed." She remarked and ended it with a wink.

"Tch, whatever . . ." the redhead sneered while grabbing the cup off the table, all the while doing her best to suppress a very wide grin.

Yukiho Kousaka had just graduated from Jinbo Flight academy; Otonokizaka's specialized branch that was situated on the outskirts of Tokyo, catering for those who were willing to work in the navy. At the budding age of twenty one, she was immediately pressed into service under the flag of the First Imperial Fleet; gaining the initial rank of Kaigun-Chui, or Junior Lieutenant.

She was some kind of an introvert; spending much of her days holed up within the confines of her room only coming out of it to perform her official duties or to grab something to eat from the cafeteria. Because of this, she wasn't able to bond with the rest of the crew; except for a sassy petty officer who had a habit of barging into her room without prior notice.

At first she was severely annoyed by this, but as she came to know the girl more; her reactions became much less violent and realized that some people are just too stubborn to be fazed by harsh words.

A simple trait which reminded her of someone she considered as her sole role model.

"Hey Yukiho, you're going to like what I'm going to say to you." The lieutenant just rolled her eyes and nonchalantly replied, "What is it?"

The subordinate then relaxed herself on the bed; earning a sharp glare from the redhead who was clearly shocked by her action.

"Your sister had just been promoted!" She beamed out while putting both hands behind her head.

In hopes of hiding the overwhelming joy that bubbled within her chest, Yukiho looked away as if she didn't care for her sister's success.

 _A general as brilliant as you deserves such promotions . . . Senpai, I am sincerely in awe of you._

"Aren't you going to congratulate her?" Fumiko inquired while rolling on her best friend's bed.

"I'll consider that later on. For now, I have to prepare myself for the mission ahead." She then puts the cup down and rudely grabbed the purplenette by the arm.

"H-hey! You could just ask me to leave!" the redhead didn't mutter a single word then left her on the corridor and slammed the door.

Yukiho then leaned against its riveted iron hide and the feeling of surreal bliss was now replaced by that of sorrow; for she and her beloved sister are not in good terms anymore, as evidenced by the latter's lack of concern for her welfare.

 _Onee-chan, I still hold you in high regard even if you treated me like garbage. . ._ She then laid once more on the lean yet surprisingly comfortable bed; scouring her distant memories for the underlying reason why such a destructive rift had developed among them.

The dying light of the full moon caressed her weary guise, and little did she know that it also lulled her back to sleep.

 _I only wanted to fly and see the world on a different perspective._

It was a cold moonlit night; Mr. Kousaka was busy reading the day's paper while a mug of steamy black coffee was right beside him, placed by his loving wife as a reward for a hard day's work.

They sported an image of a quintessential family; a loving husband living together with a very supportive spouse, and two kids whom they valued a lot more than earthly treasures.

Residing on a humble two storey house in downtown Tokyo, they were able to make ends meet by baking Japanese sweets, saving up enough money to provide the two with proper education.

They seemed normal on the surface, but the Kousakas upheld an age old tradition that at least one of them must become a soldier to serve the Empire; its origins dating back to the Sengoku Period, when they served as loyal footmen under Tokugawa's Army.

Because of this, her sister; the famed "coy" General Honoka Kousaka was reared up by her father at an early age, to prepare her for the rigid and harsh disciplines their pre ordained career demanded.

Meanwhile Yukiho was just on the sidelines, helping her mother out whenever she returns home from school; and because of this, Mrs. Kousaka considered the redheaded tot as her favourite.

She was just seven back then; a budding soul whose mind was still rife with vivid dreams of flight, fuelled on by the stories which her father fondly recalled during his time as a naval aviator.

As her consciousness crossed the line of reality into the depths of her mind, Yukiho found herself staring at her younger self; tiptoeing her way towards the living room where her father was to be found.

The little girl slowly crept towards her father who seemed to be oblivious of his daughter's presence; confidently sipping away at his favourite brew while reading the headlines.

Taking position behind the tanned leather couch, she reared herself up for a pounce; but the man turned his head around and said:

"You know, it is considered rude to sneak on people like that my child."

Realizing that her cover was blown; Yukiho then sat beside her father and tucked underneath his strong muscular arm.

"Is there something wrong dear?" He asked her with a very calm and reserved tone; by which she immediately replied, "I'm bored! And hanging out with onee-chan was no fun at all! She just looked at me and slumped on her bed!"

The girl then felt her father's callous fingers running through her auburn strands; by which she looked up and saw him smiling down on her, as if sending a message to just relax and let the ginger be.

"Just understand your sister Yukiho, she just had a very rough day." He then folded the newspaper and placed it next to the mug.

"Now it's almost eight, Time for you to sleep little lady." The girl shook her head in stubborn refusal, but her father insisted and she finally relents; not before giving out a condition which made him chuckle.

"Fine, I'll go to sleep; but you should tell me a story!" Mr. Kousaka raised his eyebrows and retorts, "What would you like me to narrate?"

A glint then appeared on the corner of the girl's eye and replied, "About the Great War!"

"Ahh, But before that . . ." His gentleness soon waned and was replaced by a mischievous smile, and the child immediately got the message but waited for him to say it out loud.

"Let's race towards your room!" Her father then raised his arms up like a bear, sending Yukiho dashing through the stair's creaky steps; earning them a sarcastic yet dire threat from her mom who was startled by the loud banging of their feet.

"I'LL STOP THAT IF I WERE YOU."

They were in the middle of the stairwell when they heard the warning, stopping them both on their tracks. Mortified by the woman's low domineering voice; Mr. Kousaka cringed at what his wife would do next and hollered back to ease the tension.

"I'm sorry dear! I was just trying to send her off to bed!"

"I hope you remember that you're turning 34 next week." Then a dark figure poked its head from the kitchen's entrance, together with an object that looked like a pin roller on its hand.

"O-okay, I'm really sorry! It won't happen again!" He then looked at his daughter and whispered, "Okay, take off your slippers . . . and don't make any sort of noise." The girl nodded and they quaintly ascended towards her room; tittering from relief as they closed the door behind them.

"Phew, that was close." Yukiho then took off her socks and tucked under the futon's olive green sheet; while her dad opened the window to let the cool evening breeze to seep through the humid, starlit room. The stars shone brightly that it caressed the girl's weary face; and her father was as happy as ever when he saw his daughter's surreal guise which gleamed under the starlight.

For a moment he stared at her, then the redhead snapped: "Papa, aren't you forgetting something?"

"Oh! Sorry." the veteran then opened Yukiho's drawer and pulled out a worn out aviator's cap, still complete with its goggles strapped on its crown with the kanji: "隼" which stood for "Hayabusa" or peregrine falcon on its lace.

The redhead giggled as he gently puts it on her head; then sat right next to her and started to narrate his story.

"It was sixteen years ago, back on the time when man was just starting to grasp their long held dream of flight when the Great War broke out and the world was plunged into outright chaos."

He then looked at his daughter who didn't even mutter a single word; her hands clasped tightly on the cottony sheet.

"I had just turned eighteen back then; young, naive, and very eager to lead an adventurous life." Then as he was starting to speak up; the wailing sound of sirens slammed the girl back into reality.

"Wake up! It's time!" A sailor screamed as he knocked loudly against the door; then left as soon as he had came, in order to wake the others who weren't able to hear the siren's call.

The young lieutenant dusted her eyes; bewildered at the thought at the urgency the man's steps had shown. She then got out of bed and stretched her arms, giving out a succinct smile after having a good day's nap.

"Now that's taken care of, time for me to . . ."

Oh shit.

Her aquamarine orbs widened after realizing something was amiss, and hurriedly lifted up the mattress to grab a little blue notebook which she kept to remind herself about her daily duties.

"Come on, I know there's something I need to do today!" She muttered as her fingers skimmed page after page of random scribbles, crude drawings, and self portraits which still falls under the latter category.

"Aha! Finally!" the redhead mused when the final pagewas found; but the joy quickly waned afterwards when she read the words: Briefing with Admiral Negumo, six sharp.

Confused and in a hurry to make up for the lost time, she hastily dropped the notebook on the mattress and opened the drawer where a gold encrusted pocket watch was kept; given to her by their family's close friends, the _Sonoda's._

"What?! It's already six?! Gaaaah! I gotta hurry up and leave!"

 _Great, I woke up early in the morning and ends up being the one who's late._

She then quickly puts on a pair of slippers that was just below the bunk and hurriedly ran towards the lockers where her uniform is to be found.

But when she opened the door; she almost jumped out of shock when she saw Fumiko, crossing her arms while giving out a blank stare.

"Good morning princess, how good of you to check up on me."

Rolling her eyes, Yukiho ignored her subordinate and went her way; much to the purplenettes utter disappointment.

"Oh not this again . . . Hey, Yukiho wait for me!" She yelled out, but the redhead had already gone far; and the girl decided to follow her no matter what.

 _Damn it! Can't she just mind her own business?_ Yukiho thought while dodging sailors who had just awakened from their dreamy slumber; staring intently at the lieutenant's chest that was slightly revealed by her clothes.

"I'm sorry! Let's talk again later!" The two then raced through the hallway; passing by maintenance crews and sailors who also got a rude awakening from the loud call from earlier, groggily taking their pace on the narrow corridor.

 _I only hope I'm not the only one who's late for briefing._

With a sharp right turn, she was able to make her way towards the locker room; sticking her tongue from both exhaustion and the overwhelming stench that came from the various littered undergarments of her comrades on the floor.

 _These men, they're hopeless . . . this is why I hate boys._

She then came across her vault, and wasted no time on twisting the knob with a special combination; her face gradually lighting up as it clicked on the right digits.

"Now that it's done, time to . . ." Yukiho giddily opened it up then paused when she saw her family's worn out monochrome picture that was taped behind her locker's door.

The photograph had some scratches and coffee stains on it; but the image of her father embracing the three treasures of his life was still obvious amidst the clouting film of dirt and age.

 _You had been the source of my strength all these years, and I am proud to be your daughter._

"Okaa-san, Otou-san . . . Please pray that I will survive my first mission and return home to eat the delicious red bean buns you prepare before the dawn's early light." She mumbled while pulling it off from its cast iron hull then gave it a warm peck; in hopes of casting away the fear that lingered within her heart.

Feeling a little bit composed, Yukiho slung the uniform by her shoulder and closed the door; paling once more out of fright when she saw Fumiko's haggard face giving her a dank stare.

"Yu . . . *Pant* Kiho . . . *Huff*" the redhead tried to play it cool and crossed her arms, but deep inside she was really ticked off by her subordinate's clingy nature.

"What could you possibly want from me? Aren't you supposed to be on the flight deck by now?" She then turned around to pick her boots from a rack as the girl replied:

"Gomen Kousaka san, But I have something to give for you." The wingman then bowed as a sign of respect to her superior; then picked something out from her coat's side pocket: a well preserved cherry blossom that still retained its pinkish glow after a week's worth of travel.

"Please, take it. It will bring you good luck on your first sortie ma'am." the Kosaka sibling then accepted it with a hint of reluctance; but later gawked in awe as she marvelled at the beauty of the blooming bud.

 _This . . . reminds me of home._

She then returned her gaze to the purplenette and asked, "Aren't you coming with me today?" which was responded in kind by a harried nod.

"The maintenance crew reported that the engine had some sea water on it; I know it's kinda weird, but I guess things are bound to happen when you least expect it." Fumiko then hunched her shoulders, as if trying to solicit some sympathy from the lieutenant.

"But why the heck are you wearing your flight suit?!" Yukiho asked.

"The commander said that I'll be held in reserve; just in case the initial attack doesn't work out all too well."

"Okay, I understand now . . . anyway, what time is it?" the redhead inquired while putting on her suit.

The wingman pulled her sleeve up to look at her watch and reports, "It's almost six thirty ma'am."

*Sigh* "Fumiko . . . I'd like to ask you something." The girl raised an eyebrow at her superior's statement and sat on a nearby bench to face the redheaded officer.

"What is it? I'll be happy to answer it for you." She then propped against her hands; a sign that she was showing a hint of interest at whatever Yukiho would like to inquire about her.

"Can you tell me your reason why you joined the Navy?" for a moment, she grimaced at the nature of the question; giving the officer ample time to tie the laces of her boots.

"Well, if you're uncomfortable with it . . . It's okay not to answer." As she was trying to retract the previous discussion; Fumiko replied with a slight difference on her pitch that was like that of a child on the verge of tears.

"I joined the IJN because . . ." the lieutenant immediately averted her gaze and saw the subordinate's face wincing with a glint on her amber eyes; as if trying to recollect a painful memory of her past.

"I'm sorry I asked . . ."

"No, I'm the one who's supposed to apologize for being rude not to answer such a common question." Fumiko snapped as she wiped the tears with a sleeve; then stood up and gave off a smile as if nothing had happened, a persona that Yukiho saw every day since she first stepped into the ship's hull.

 _I only hope your smiles weren't faked on the day I first met you._

She had always known the petty officer as a girl who never frowned or had a slightest hint of sadness on her face; but now she saw another side of the sassy girl, a soul who puts on a thin white mask to hide all her sorrows.

 _Fumiko . . ._

The corridor was eerily silent for all the crews were either at the briefing room or at the flight deck; making last minute preparations for the raid ahead. After a slight pause, the subordinate finally told her story; tugging the redhead's troubled heart.

"The truth is, I'm only in it for the money. . ." Hearing this, the officer felt a deep sense of hatred but at the same time pitied the girl's plight; for it seemed to be a very common excuse to expose oneself to danger.

My mother is suffering from tuberculosis, and my father is assigned in Formosa right now; under the IJA's paratrooper corps." The girl then pursed her lip for a second and continued on, "I can't stand seeing her suffer, with every bloodied cough; her life withered away . . . So I decided to join the Navy because it had a lower age requirement and decent pay."

"Fumiko . . ." her hatred sizzled away after realizing that her cause was deeply rooted out of love for family; and placed her palm above the purplenette's own.

"No need to pity me Kousaka san, I may be forced by my circumstances; but that doesn't mean I regret being here . . ." Fumiko fell silent once more, and Yukiho's sympathy towards her had deepened after hearing the story; reaching out for a handkerchief in hopes of comforting her best friend.

"Yukiho . . ." Fumiko tried to refuse the gesture, but the lieutenant was keen of wiping it off her face.

"Be still, I don't want to see your ugly face anymore." She then gave off a giggle, by which her friend immediately retorts: "Come on, I don't look that bad . . . am I?"

"Seeing you smile makes me do the same too." The redhead then turned around and tried to wear a pair of black leather gloves; her face wincing out of frustration as she struggled to button it on her wrist.

The nosy subordinate noticed her friend's twitching and peeked through her shoulder; then took her hands and slid the buttons on its eyelets without any more hassle, much to Yukiho's surprise.

"You know, I c-could handle it myself!" She muttered with a flush spread across her cheeks.

"Nonsense, I saw you struggling just to put it on. Just let me help you out, for friends support each other . . . Right?"

Hearing this, she looked at Fumiko's hand which buttoned the gloves with much ease and thought,

 _If only you were my sister . . ._

"Fukuda-san, your plane's engines had been drained of salt-water and now ready for deployment; I suggest you should follow me to the flight deck as soon as possible." A deep male voice hollered out from the corridor.

"Just a moment please." She then turned her friend to face her and said, "Would you like me to help tie your scarf?"

Embarrassed, Yukiho gave off a subtle nod and the girl gleefully wrapped her arms around the girl's pasty neck; further adding to the officer's flustered guise.

"Hold still okay?" With a sleight of hand, Fumiko skilfully tied the long white scarf around her nape; then dangled the other end of it on her shoulder.

"I guess it's done for now . . ." She beamed.

The redhead was unable to look straight on her subordinate's eyes, severely embarrassed by the favour which she had received; then when she was ready to express her gratitude, Fumiko had already left the room.

"Fumiko, thanks for standing by me." She uttered, then left towards the officer's hall to learn about the special orders.

Later, at the officer's mess . . .

After a few minutes spent on asking for directions; Lt. Kosaka finally arrived at a large hall filled with junior officers just like her who sat on the steel folding chairs, attentively listening to the instructions given by a man who wore a jet black stiff collared uniform with matching cap and gold buttons; his rank clearly embossed on his blue collar tab by two gray cherry blossoms and a pair of silver lines which ran horizontally at each other.

 _Rear Admiral Negumo . . .Yamamoto's right hand man and my sister's friend._

She then found a vacant seat near the doorway and quickly grabbed the opportunity; before the admiral could take notice of her.

 _Phew, that was close._

Yukiho then looked at a fuzzy image projected against the ship's riveted wall; which sort of resembled an upturned crescent with their target sitting right on the middle of its gaping mouth.

"A few hours earlier, I had dispatched some submarines to infiltrate the harbour; and relayed to us that their carriers were currently nowhere to be found. Because of this, we were presented with an option; to either wait for another week for them to return or proceed with the attack."

Silence filled the room as the pilots diligently listened at their superior who was clearly enthusiastic at the plans he had made.

"After a few minutes of waiting for any sort of reply from the opposite line, Minister Tojo opted to proceed with the plan and now you are here to uphold the Empress' orders: decimate the entire fleet without any sense of remorse."

The situation was tense within the room; and Yukiho can't help but wheeze at the heavy atmosphere it had emitted.

"The overall commander of the bomber strike force will be Major Fuchida; in case you haven't known, he's the moustached guy right next to the door." Negumo pointed it out for all to see.

A man then stood up from his seat and faced his comrades with a harried bow and returned to his place like nothing had happened.

 _Awkward . . ._ She thought while propping against her hand out of boredom.

"Strike force Akagi will be tasked to approach directly from the north, along with those coming from the carrier Kaga." He then drew a path through the map leading directly towards the harbour, and continued on.

"Those from Soryu and Hiryu will curve their way from the North east, and if you could stumble on an airfield en route; don't think twice of destroying it." the officers from the two carriers gave off a nod, then the vice admiral looked at the last bunch of officers sitting at the far right corner of the room.

"Shokaku and Zuikaku, you will approach from the North West; and do the same if you could see an airfield." With the briefing concluded; he left the room without uttering a single word, giving the overall commander of the raid a sign that he should dismiss his comrades as well.

"Attention!" The officers then stood up in unison, and exited the hall on a single file; all the while wearing a jowl on their faces, worrying about their own fate rather than the empire's own.

Yukiho then followed as the row snaked itself through the maze of neatly lined chairs; also wearing a smug look on her own, deep in thought of what her family would do when she fails to come home.

 _Will father come and bury my ashes, or disown me for not fulfilling my duty entirely?_

And just as her silhouette was about to depart the confines of the sullen hall; a hand suddenly grabbed her left wrist, catching the redhead off guard.

She turned her gaze around and saw that it was her friend, fidgeting from sheer excitement.

"Hey ma'am! Guess what? I'm flying with you!" she beamed, earning a scowl from her superior.

"Why are you always fond of startling me?" By which Fumiko quipped, "Sorry, I'm just trying to test if coffee makes people paranoid."

"YOU WHAT?!" Her eyes widened at her friend's answer and tried to yell some more when an urgent announcement blurted out from the loudspeakers scattered across the ship.

"Attention, Pilot of aircrafts with tail numbers AI-045 and AI-069; report to the deck immediately!" followed by a deafening screech coming from the microphone.

"Yukiho! That's us!" The purplenette yelled out with much enthusiasm; while Yukiho puts on a very disinterested look and jeered, "Yay."

"Come on, let's go! I can't wait to fly my plane!" she exclaimed then dragged the lieutenant through the grey flushed corridor; even if the latter did her best to undo her grip out of embarrassment.

 _It seems she's way too excited than me. . ._

"Fumiko, stop! I can carry my weight! Let me go!" She screamed out in desperation, but the girl kept running on with a feverish pace; while her amber eyes clearly showed its excitement towards her first mission, unlike hers which was dull and full of worry.

 _She's too innocent . . . I can't believe she still kept her smile even if she knew that she'll deprive a family of their loved one. But, who am I to judge? I will still share the same fate with her; a justified murderer fighting for my own principles._

While she gobbled up more depraving thoughts on her mind, they finally reached the brilliant light of the skies above which revealed the entire strike force neatly lined up in rank and file formation aboard their ship's broad wooden deck.

Yukiho didn't even realize that they had arrived at destination, all lost in transmission like a goldfish who stares blankly at the area in front of it.

"Ma'am?" the wingman then waved her hand in front of the redhead's face, and when she saw that there was no response; she grabbed a hold of the girl's right cheek and pulled it as hard as she could, earning a very pissed snarl from her superior.

"Ouch! Fumiko! What are you doing?! Stop! Haven't you got your fill of watching me all flustered?!"

Fumiko then clasped her hands together and apologized once more for the silly act, "Sumimasen Kousaka san, I thought you had gone insane."

"Wow, I detect sarcasm. . . I am so pleased." Yukiho then dusted off the sleeve and walked towards her plane, situated right behind the green flushed zero piloted by someone who could have a ton of experience to lead an entire squadron.

She then saw the wily old Admiral, talking with someone who appears to be of high rank; further evidenced by his collar insignia. Being the creepy girl she was, Yukiho just stood behind them and pretended to admire the parked aircraft right next to her.

"Tetsuzo, your expertise is much needed here . . . Please guide my pilots accordingly." He calmly requested his subordinate who just bowed out of courtesy and left to fulfill his duty.

She then saw the commander bite his lip then turned around to give the signal to turn the engines on for the impending raid. Fumiko was following behind her all this time; but when she looked at her face, it seemed the girl is kind of familiar to the guy whom the admiral held in high regard. Curious, Yukiho tugs at her sleeve which gained the attention of her wingman that raised an eyebrow at what she could possibly ask for the moment.

"Who's that?" the redhead points to the man who was cheerfully talking to a mechanic, who sort of looks like his dad; except that he was younger. The purplenette then gave of a chuckle and replied,

"He's Captain Tetsuzo Iwamoto, a celebrated ace of the Army's 110th Hiko-sentai during the Chinese incident of 1937. Be wary, he is responsible for downing twenty Chinese fighters on the skies of Shanghai in a matter of three days, then twenty five soviets and a dozen of their bombers during the battles of Khalkyn-Gol and Lake Khasan during our border wars against Russia."

After a brief pause, the lieutenant still can't wrap her mind about how he could pull such a feat; and due to confusion wringing about on her brain, she indivertibly asked the stupidest question a graduate of Otonoki or its subsidiaries had ever known.

"So, he's our . . . wing leader?"

Fumiko's hazel eyes widened and looked at her superior with a bit of scorn and quipped, "Yes! Of course, he's a Captain . . . Duh."

Realizing her mistake, Yukiho's face lit up once more from embarrassment for they were surrounded by other pilots must've heard the sassy subordinate talking casually without any due respect and kicked the latter's leg while trying her best to reduce the voice to a high pitched whisper. "Fumiko!"

"Alright, I'm sorry!" She replied with pitched innuendo in kind.

The redhead then lets off a sigh for there's nothing more she could do about it but whine; so she lets the airman off the hook and led the way to their steeds. "Nevermind, let's might as well clamber up to our aircraft and get over it."

While they squeezed through the spaces between the aircraft's broad white washed wings; the two felt their bodies weren't theirs anymore, going numb and cold from the fear which crept within their hearts. Fumiko, being the cheerful lass she was; tried to comfort her paranoid partner who seemed to dart her view from left to right, as if she had a gut feeling of being watched.

"Yukiho, hold my hand." She then locks fingers with the redhead's, making the lieutenant put off a muffled gasp from the sudden touch.

"Stay strong, I know we can do this." The purplenette assured her friend by looking straight to her aquamarine eyes; in hopes of shaking her own fears away.

"I kinda envied your cheerfulness Fumiko." Yukiho retorts while hiding her face which had a grin strewn across.

 _Her hand . . . It's so warm._

Fumiko then gave off a lopsided smile then splits up as they reached their planes; hopping onto its wing and took a final glance of the carrier and their crew lest they couldn't return from this fateful mission.

The officer was about to enter the cockpit when the purplenette called out: "Hey, do your best."

"Same to you." They then wriggled into their respective cabins; then strapped themselves into their seats.

The main workhorse for the Japanese Navy was the Mitsubishi A6m2 zero; an aircraft armed with a pair of 7.7mm type 97 machine guns with five hundred rounds each and was situated below its engine's hood. It was synchronized to fire through the propeller by timing the shaft's revolutions with its hydraulic trigger; a technology perfected during the latter days of World War One. It then has two wing mounted 20mm type 98 cannons; each holding sixty rounds filled with high explosive rounds that was capable to penetrate thirteen inches of plate armour at ranges of a thousand metres. But even though it possessed a quite powerful gun on its arsenal, it still lacked the punch when compared against their German or Allied counterparts who excelled on putting more numerous and powerful weaponry within their airframes.

But there is a specific purpose why this aircraft was specifically built for; something which the young lieutenant could discover for herself sometime soon.

Her aircraft is whitewashed like the rest of the squadron; each had a blood red sun painted at its wingtips and its waist, while a single vertical red band was painted near the area where the fuselage met the tail.

Of all the twenty four white zeros lined up in rank and file on the deck; only the ace's aircraft was painted in a dark green colour scheme, something that was like a privilege offered only to pilots who scored five kills or more during their sorties.

Yukiho tried to calm herself down by taking in deep breaths, while her hand shuddered as it held onto the steering stick located between her legs. She then looked to her left to see what her friend was doing, but Fumiko had already beaten her to the glare and was already smiling when she turned to take a peek. Then with a slight crackle of the radio, the lieutenant heard the voice of her subordinate; clear and as annoying as ever.

"Testing, 1 . . . 2 . . . 3!"

She gave off a gentle smile as the test broadcast was followed by an innocent giggle; and replied, "I could hear you clearly Fumiko . . . there's no need to laugh like that."

"What? I just can't help it! I think I'm just too excited to fly this thing, that's all." followed by another crackle of the radio.

Yukiho then closed the canopy with a slide, effectively muffling all the background noises to a mere mumble; then closed her eyes to hear the drum like beat of her heart.

 _This is my chance to live my dream, and there's no holding me back._

"Ma'am?" the wingman beamed out again, interrupting her concentration once more. Wasting no time, she pressed the red button near the altometre which sat directly in front of her.

"What?!" she vexed.

"Nothing."

Then as the two were on the brink of horsing around with the equipment, a stern voice suddenly blurted out the radio.

"Can you two just stop wasting the batteries for your senseless bickering?! My goodness, the entire squadron could hear your nonsense as clear as day!"

Flustered, Yukiho stared at Fumiko; narrowing her brows as if she's telling her to _shut the fuck up next time._

"Now, where was I . . ." He continued on, then relayed some orders to his subordinates who were silent on the opposite line.

"Form a trio, and split up once we reach the island to cover more ground." The two then looked at each other through the thin glass and smiled, for they already knew who, they will pick . . . except that the third element is missing; and Yukiho didn't even had a chance to know others well.

With all hopes lost, she slumped at her seat; looking intently at her reflection on the gleaming face of the goggles. Just as she was delving deeper into her thoughts, the Captain suddenly radioed in; silencing the mumbling rookies who were chatting with each other.

"Kousaka, Fukuda . . . you two would function as my wingmen, any questions?"

As soon as the statement ended with a crackle, Fumiko grabbed the situation and replied: "No sir! It's our greatest pleasure to fly with you sir!"

"Good."

 _Great, Fumiko is at it again . . . always getting ahead of herself._

She then braced herself for the inevitable flight as one by one; the maintenance crew turned the propellers of their aircraft, coughing out stagnant diesel fumes while it rumbled violently as the engines were strung back to life.

"Sons of Nippon, may the gods light your way." The admiral radioed in with a gentle fatherly overture, and soon; Major Iwamoto's zero struts through the flight deck, cheered on by sailors dressed in navy blue and those who were bomber pilots who waited for their turn to fly.

"Ganbarou!" They hollered out in unison, waving their caps as the Major passed by. Looking out through the thin glass, she couldn't help but smile as her comrade's cheers hushed her sorrows away.

 _And so it begins . . ._ Yukiho thought as she pushed the accelerator by her left hand while the other pulled the steering stick further back; her aquamarine eyes then locked itself onto the very end of the long deck, where the vast expanse of deep blue sea awaited her once she failed to take flight.

"Yukiho!" A familiar voice rang from the depths of her mind; the girl then closed her eyes and puts all her faith to the aircraft which gained speed at each passing metre.

Then an image came to her view; it was her sister, dressed in a traditional tangerine kimono that was adorned with the leaves of autumn, carefully sewn in gold thread.

"Onee-chan?" She responded with a voice riddled with uncertainty, and the ginger giddily showed a piece of paper and beamed,

"Look! I passed the entrance exams! Now, father would be proud of me!" followed by an innocent giggle which tugged at the redhead's heart.

"I don't know what to say . . . Congratulations senpai!" out of instinct, she gave her sister a warm embrace; which was then returned in kind by her ecstatic sibling.

"Wait until otou-san hears about this! Oh, I can't wait to step into its hallowed halls together with my best friends!" Honoka exclaimed while tightening the grip on Yukiho who squirmed as she was slowly smothered by her sister's strong arms.

"Honoka . . . I can't . . .*wheeze* breathe!" She protested, and the ginger lets go of her then apologized for being carried away.

"Gomen ne Yukiho san, I just can't hide the excitement brewing in my chest." Then she scratched her head and gave off a very subtle, sheepish laugh.

"But that doesn't mean you'll sap the life out of me!"

"Shush, I'll make it up to you . . . Here, have some bread." Honoka then snuck a slice on her sister's hand, by which she immediately retorts:

"I am not that type of person that you can easily appease! Now give me that!" the redhead then snatched the yeasty treat and indulged on its very distinct yet bland taste.

"Ahhh, you never change . . . I'm so happy that you still share the same passion as mine!" the ginger then sat right next to her kin, the only person she could count on whenever her father punishes her for being lazy.

"What can I say? Man can't live on homu buns alone." Yukiho replied with her mouth full of crumbs, by which Honoka replied: "You just twisted a proverb! I am so proud of you!"

The two then laughed like they didn't have the slightest care in the world, a memory which she'll cherish for the rest of her life.

 _If only I could turn the clock back to the time when we were the best of friends and partners in crime . . ._

Then the humming of the engines returned to overwhelm her senses, and after opening her eyes; she couldn't believe that she had successfully pulled it off, watching on with awe as she was surrounded by the boundless cerulean sea which melded into the veil of the cloud ringed sky like a painter's grand masterpiece.

 _I wish Honoka stares at the same horizon as mine._

She then turned around and saw the grey silhouette of the carrier force dwindling in size as the aircraft gained altitude, leaving its fluffy wake which gave out its location within the boundless ocean waves. While the patch of sky behind them gleamed on a bright shade of vermillion; which crept its way through the creases of a large indigo cloud.

 _Another day has come . . . for my nation and my very own destiny._

"Ma'am! where are you?!" Yukiho was interrupted once more by her friend's high pitched and annoying voice; causing her to jump for quite a bit from her seat. Gritting her teeth, she immediately reached out for the button and replied,

"Can't you just keep it down!?" She then looked up and saw the belly of her comrade's aircraft which skimmed through some rows of clouds; its red suns underneath the wings gleamed in all its glory as the rays of the rising sun kissed its entirety.

"I'm right below you . . ." the lieutenant then paused for a while and observed as the entire squadron manoeuvred to the right.

"Well? What are you waiting for? Climb up! I'm going to show you something!" the girl ecstatically beamed out, then ended the transmission with a hefty dose of static.

 _What the heck could she possibly show me?_

The redhead then looked at the altometer, its clock like dials crazily spun through numbers as she ascended towards the level where her friend was to be found.

"Three thousand feet, not bad." Then the redhead looked at her "squadron" and realized that she was at the wrong formation; and was at the leading end of an entire group of Kaga's bomber force which had features that were way too far from her zero.

The dive bombers were distinguished by fixed landing gears which hung from its broad elliptical wings and a rear machine gunner, not to mention the large bomb dangling from its belly which was roughly the size of an oil drum.

While torpedo bombers where an all green and bulky aircraft; it didn't share the fixed landing gear feature like the former, but it had folding ones just like the zero and has a crew of three: the pilot, bombardier, and the rear machine gunner at the very end of the cockpit. It was then armed with two wing mounted type 97's and a torpedo that was seven metres long; sporting had a warhead that could easily rip a medium sized cruiser to shreds.

"Oh crap . . ." She cursed and exchanged glares with one of the machine gunners; also surprised that a fighter had strayed within their midst. The man then reached out to catch his pilot's attention who then radioed in at the straggler:

"This is first Lieutenant Kurosawa, is there something you'd like to report?"

Yukiho cringed at the thought of being scolded by her superior who entrusted them both with the honour of being his wingman; a chance which she'll also benefit from because she may learn some tactics from the IJAAF's most celebrated ace.

Pressing the button, she swallowed her pride and asked for directions from the bomber's squad leader.

"S-sir . . . Had you seen a group of fighters come by here?" After a brief pause, the man laughed and responds with a snort.

"Of course, they're above the clouds." The girl then looked at her eleven and saw a tinge of green displaying itself defiantly through the cloud's hazy patch.

"Arigatou daii san." (Thank you Lieutenant/sir.) She mused while never averting gaze with the man who gave a two fingered salute and replied, "Betsuni." (It's nothing.)

It was a common method for fighters to fly above their lumbering and highly vulnerable bomber counterparts; providing an over watch just in case an enemy might scramble some interceptors and an immense tactical advantage once an aerial battle ensued.

Yukiho's A6m2 climbed up once more, now in a very steep vertical angle; it struggled to keep its speed up and wheezed as it tried its best to fulfill her wish. It was here she realized that her aircraft had a weakness which may be exploited by the enemy once the details were leaked out of their lines: The Nakajima-Sakae engines they used were far too weak for near vertical climbs.

In an attempt to adjust or risk an unrecoverable fall towards the sea, she pushed the stick for a bit to lower her angle and increased the throttle once more; sighing in relief as the speedometer was back on crunching decent numbers for her ascent.

"Phew, thank goodness I didn't stall." She lets go of the throttle and wiped off some beads of sweat from her brows; just in time for a transmission to ring across the sealed cockpit which sounded more like a scowl.

"Kousaka! It's about fucking time you showed up! Next time, pay attention to your surroundings!" Recognizing the harsh voice, the girl paled out in fear and replied,

"Gomen shosa-san, I promise that it won't happen again." (I'm sorry Captain/sir.) She then felt a cold chill running down her spine; making her shiver as cold sweat dripped down her brows.

"I hope so, for attentiveness is the determining factor of who lives who dies in a real combat situation. . . If you were pitted against veterans, hmph . . . I doubt that you'll last for another second. So pay attention!" He then ended the transmission and the girl couldn't help but breathe out a sigh of relief.

Her aircraft kept on climbing until she reached the same altitude as her peers, and positioned herself near her superior's right wing. They squadron flew on a three man V formation, and it didn't took so long when the lieutenant realized that Fumiko sported a wide grin which shone through fogged up canopy.

"chui san! Look at your right!" (Yukiho's rank) She then looked at where her friend was looking and saw the bright rays of the sun piercing through the field of thick clouds; while the sky took on its transition from the gloomy indigo hue to light blue due to its radiant light. The girl couldn't believe how beautiful it was, and giggled like an innocent child.

"Beautiful isn't it?" the purplenette mused.

"Yes . . . Yes it is." The two then chuckled, completely forgetting the chaos that would ensue once they entered American airspace.

"Enjoy the little things while it lasts . . ." Captain Iwamoto radioed in, silencing the girls who were shocked at how gentle his voice was; far from the blood curdling tone he sported a while ago.

"For you'll never know when it's your time."

True . . . the redhead agreed to his statement by thought, narrowing her eyebrows as the thoughts of the time she spent with her beloved sister raced through her mind. Then, shedding her shame away; she gathered her guts and pushed the button to ask the man about his experiences from fighting his fellow aviators.

"Sir, I'd like to ask if it's okay with you."

After a moment of humming static, the captain retorts: "Sure, fire away."

Not wasting this god given chance to interview an ace, she swallowed all her shame and asked the first thing that came to mind: "What did you feel when you shot down an enemy aircraft?"

"It was . . . Horrifying." He retorted, then the girl wasn't yet satisfied of his answer and inquired some more.

"How so sir?" She pried like a stubborn child.

"Yukiho, stop!" Fumiko tried to silence her friend; but the man was quite elated that someone took interest about his exploits and explained.

"I saw fear on their eyes after their fuel tanks ruptured, while a thick black ooze covered their face with its pungent goo. Soon their canopy was engulfed by an undying flame, burning them into cinders. It was clear that they were screaming for their lives; as their blackened hands clawed against the glass in a last ditch attempt to save themselves."

Hearing this, the courage withered away from Yukiho's heart; while her pupils widened as the thought of being burned alive embossed itself within her mind.

 _This man, he still came to terms with it after witnessing such horrors._

"This is a fate which we pilots share, to be killed either by a burst of bullets, mechanical failure, or to undergo the horrid suffering caused by being burned to a crisp. This is why I told you guys earlier to enjoy the little things while it lasts, for a painful and inhumane death awaits us due to our line of work."

The feeling was heavy amongst the entire squadron of twenty four fighters; trying to comprehend at how stark the survival rate of a pilot was compared to the common infantryman, for a single mistake was all that separated the line at being torn to shreds and returning home to their families.

"The sun, it had always guided my path since I was still a rookie just like you. Never hesitant to share its gentle warmth to my heart which had almost lost its own due to the deaths I saw; whether it was of my enemies or my dear comrades."

Yukiho shivered at her superior's words, clutching the stick with both hands while her aquamarine eyes widened as cold sweat drizzled by the streams from her forehead.

"So do your best to survive and return to your families who spent sleepless nights just thinking of you. . .

 _Mama, Papa . . . Onee-chan._

"Fight like you had never fought before, and never show any hint of mercy to your enemies. I know this is harsh, but it's either you or them . . . never hold back, or you'll end up being the one sleeping on a wooden box . . . You may say that I am an evil person who encourages you to be heartless; but always remember to ask yourself this question: If I spared their lives, would they do the same for me?"

The redhead then turned her gaze to the green a6m2, in sheer disbelief from the statements she heard through his fatherly overture.

"I saw many of my comrades die because they were too merciful towards their enemies, letting them eject and parachute to safety; then later encounter them once more and gained the upper hand. I still remember their faces as if I had just talked to them yesterday, their hopes and dreams still etched on my mind; wringing over and over again as I closed my eyes. I tell you now, mercy and compassion has no place in this war; and those who had learned to harden their hearts are the ones who will come home safe and sound."

Her teeth sunk at the pinkish flesh of her luscious lip, while his words made the poor girl tremble in fright; her hands were visibly shaking, almost to the point of losing its grip on the steering rod.

 _I don't know what to do, should I follow his advice or . . ._

"Shosa san! (Captain.) We're nearing the island; do you have any orders?" Yukiho then snapped out of her thoughts after hearing the voice of the bomber's leader; which was then followed by a stern reply from the overall commander of the strike force.

"Do not lower your elevation unless I say so, my squadron would surge ahead; just in case of any enemies were dispatched to intercept us."

Radar was already invented during those days; and the Americans were quick to invest for its potential. The Captain had known about this because . . . Who wouldn't jump at an opportunity to gain a upper hand over your rivals?

"Everyone, prepare yourselves! Kousaka, Fukuda; pay close attention and follow my lead!"

"Hai!" Fumiko answered in her friend's stead, for Yukiho was still dazed at the moment. The captain then mentioned the names of the triad leaders and their specific roles.

"Iida, Tobukane; stay at altitude, and radio us if you see anything which has a star roundel on their aircraft!"

"Hai!" the two pilots answered with zeal; then he continued on to bark his orders. "Sawada, Minori, Yashida, and Kubo; stay close to me and fan out once we reach the harbour!"

"Rikai, sa!"(Orders received!) the group answered in unison; emboldened after hearing their leader's bitter experiences.

"Yoshino, Itou, and Anju; escort the bombers as they take the plunge, begin your descent once I give them the order to dive!"

"Juchu shimasu!" (As you wish!) they responded in chorus, and the squadron leader gave off a sigh then some pep talk to further increase their morale.

"This is the day our nation will rise, and never again will we beg for alms from these greedy capitalists which served no one else than their bloated bellies . . . feeding off from our suffering just to show the world how righteous they are! Make the empress proud! And if we die, we will forever be enshrined in the hallowed halls of Yakusuni as gods!"

Eerie silence soon followed as he gave them the chance to mutter their prayers; while the young lieutenant didn't open her mouth at all to say her wish, for her mind was still preoccupied at deciding whether she'll follow her superior's advice to the last letter.

 _I . . ._

Then after that solemn moment, the air wave was filled once more by the order which will forever change the course of history and Yukiho's career as a pilot for the IJN: "Commence operation Sei-Ran" (Storm from the clear sky)

As soon as he finished, the squadron immediately scrambled to their respective roles in sync; Captain Iwamoto's group of fifteen fighters dove down through the clearing on a cloud, while the others remained and waited for the bombers in order to escort them.

Their aircraft roared as they zoomed through layers of cottony swabs; while the redhead was pushed back against her seat as gravity helped the plane quicken their descent.

"Take note of your speed, do not let it exceed 650 or your wings will snap clean off the fuselage!" She panned her eyes through the dashboard and saw the speedometer which was slowly moving through the numbers that were drawn in increments of fifty, gradually ending on 700.

The red dial crept through the numbers like a finger that was sifting gently through the sand; and Yukiho mumbled on just to take note.

"350 . . . 400 . . . 450 . . ."

In the corner of her vision, the entire canopy was filled by the blurry background of blue; a sure sign that they're almost near sea level.

My heart is pounding dangerously like it was about to pop out of my chest, while my mind throbbed in sync with it . . . Is this how it feels to be in a real battle?

"Now, pull up for quite a bit and lower your throttles!" she immediately reached for the throttle and pulled with all her strength; all the while doing the same with its steering rod which was very hard to yank, for the ailerons which were found underneath its wings were in danger of being stuck from the sudden steep dive.

"Damn it . . . I must . . . Please . . . Cooperate . . . you . . . stupid . . . plane!" She gritted her teeth out of frustration, while giving some support to her right hand with the other; draining every ounce of strength she had.

The redhead wasn't the only one with that problem; all her squad mates except the captain were also struggling to pull themselves up from the dangerous dive.

"Step on both of your pedals! Remember, ailerons are not only found under the wings; but also on the tail fins! How could you guys even forget that?! A year didn't even come to pass for you to forget the basics!"

Heeding the commander's words, she violently pressed her foot at the pedal while pulling with all her might on a stick that still won't budge due to the sheer force exerted by gravity. Infuriated by her situation, she lets off a very high pitched curse just to lighten up her mood; in hopes that it'll gradually relax the strain on the muscles which was severely stressed out from the struggle.

"KUTABAREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" She then felt the stick winced for quite a bit; but it still wasn't enough to pull her off from the dangerous descent.

 _550 . . . holy shit! Stupid plane! Pull up god damnit!_

Then her fear of dying intensified when the loud howls of the wind coupled by the sound of screeching metal on the verge of being ripped off shot through her ears, making her curse even louder than before out of sheer desperation.

"KUSO YARO! TADA, SUDENI SORE O ATAEMASU!" (Son of a bitch! Just give it up already!) With the last ounce of strength her arms could offer, the stick finally relents and was able to pull it back; then the backdrop of blue quickly changed to a balanced shade of sapphire and cerulean which melded from an unseen boundary on the horizon, together with Hawaii's green tinged silhouette whose rolling hills slowly increased in size as they approached.

She gave off a dastardly burst of laughter; relieved that she was still breathing and in one piece. Soon the rest of the flight was back once more on triads, while Captain Iwamoto was displeased by their performance; giving out a short lecture about awareness and the importance of physical conditioning for such feats.

"I don't believe this . . . You call yourselves members of the kaigun but couldn't even execute a proper dive? Always remember that you have tail fins; they may be small and insignificant, but still contributes to the overall performance of your aircraft! Plus your descent was too steep! Next time, try doing it a shallow angle; say, forty degrees will do. And have you been flexing out your muscles lately? It seemed that your butts were being handed back to you by your aircraft! You leave me no choice but to mould your flabby butts after this mission!"

*Groan* _Great, I had a brush with death and now I'll suffer from sheer exhaustion . . . something tells me that this guy will be the cause of my demise. . ._

But instead of giving off a smug jowl, Yukiho involuntarily drew out a giggle; much to her utter dismay.

 _. . . What the hell?_

She then looked up and saw her captain's plane descending gracefully through the low lying clouds; demonstrating the shallow dive which he proposed for them to perform.

 _This guy is on a league of his own . . . wow._

"Check your elevation gauges; make sure that it's enough to get past its misty peaks."

The initial wave was composed of 183 planes coming from six carriers; of which were 43 fighters, 51 dive bombers armed with general purpose bombs for airfields and barracks, and another batch of naval bombers, 49 of which were equipped with a single 800kg armour piercing bomb which was to be used against battleships and 40 with torpedoes only.

They all approached from the north like the prongs of a trident, converging towards the U.S fleet stationed at a deep inland harbour under the protection by an anti torpedo net; not too deep enough for it to be ineffective, but not too shallow to prevent any ships from entering, allowing only 100 metres of clearance. Because of this, four mini subs were able to infiltrate before three o clock but were sunk after stumbling upon a patrol consisting of three destroyers that were equipped with depth charges; on simple terms, they were blown up out of the water by drums filled with TNT and a primer which exploded upon impact.

Only one managed to return and give a report to the admiral, who then hastily dispatched his strike force before the Americans knew what was going on; and now the swarm of planes loomed upon the clear skies of Honolulu, hell bent of fulfilling their divine mission.

"Kurosawa! Lower your altitude, just enough to skim above the mountain peaks!" He barked at the bomber's leader who responded with a deepened moan.

Meanwhile, Yukiho was looking down at small insignificant dots that had gone out of their homes to take a look at the commotion at the skies caused by their shadows.

 _Woe to you, for war is going to befall this land._

They were cruising at pretty high altitude of five hundred metres; their crimson roundels were clearly visible for the residents to know their nationalities.

From up above, she could see the intricate patchwork of meadows and fields; a pattern which looked like a multicoloured quilt, as if sewn by a skilled artisan. The land was filled by a thin haze of mist, while small dots of yellowish incandescent light pockmarked the landscape which shone through fireflies.

This was something which reminded her further about her childhood; sitting at the fringes of their backyard pond together with her beloved sister before she left for Korea to serve the Empire.

Tokyo ,1935

 _Onee-chan . . . I want to hang out with you someday after this war is over, back to the place where we gained our consciousness and with those we love so dearly._

"Yukiho, mind if I can sit with you for a while?" a calm and composed voice asked while the red haired girl was looking into the clear waters of the pond; skimming her toes in circles on its mirror like veil.

"Sure." She answered nonchalantly as her attention was fixed towards a pair of murky catfish swimming towards her toe; smiling as it tried hard to take a nib off it.

The ginger then raised her pink kimono's skirt and sat right next to Yukiho, who now giggled from the tingling sensation she felt as the fish rubbed its slithery body against the soles of her feet.

Pausing for a thought, she then joined in; dipping her toes on the water's surface which finally diverted the attention of her kin who locked those pair of aquamarine orbs at her pair of blue ones.

"This catfish, it had been in this pond even before we were born . . . It's a wonder that they were still the same size even after years had passed." Honoka then reached out to pick one out of its watery world and stared at it intently; mimicking the animal as it gaped its large mouth to gulp some air.

"Mou, Onee-chan; stop doing that, you're harming them." Then the ginger faced her sister once more, now sporting a funny face with her eyes crossed and a cheek which was puffed full of air; making Yukiho laugh out loud from her sister's goofy antics.

"Stop it! It's too early for this!" She protested, but Honoka leaned in closer while holding the catfish right next to her face; further adding to the joy which the young girl felt while spending some time with her own flesh and blood.

"Yu-Ki-Hoooo!" the girl quickly tossed the fish back into the water and lunged in which made the young one burst out in glee as her face was flushed from the sheer excitement that overwhelmed her senses.

"No! Have mercy! Stop!" She begged, but the elderly one kept digging her slender fingers against the tightly wrapped waist; and soon they were rolling around the grass covered ground, filling the moist morning air with their innocent cackles.

"I know you want this, so give it up!" The ginger cooed, followed by frequent snorts and short gleeful gasps.

"No, No, No! Onee-chaaan!" the redhead Kousaka sibling then accidentally reached up on Honoka's thigh, which froze the latter on her tracks.

The two then stared blandly at each other, and Yukiho observed that her sister's face was flushed with an unusual shade of red and realized that she had touched something which was sort of off limits to anyone else.

She quickly withdrew her hand and braced herself at the possibility of being reprimanded for such lewd retribution to a childish act, but instead; what she saw was a very cute side of her senpai, its sapphire orbs gleamed with outright innocence.

"I . . . I'm so sorry senpai, I-It's just . . ."

The girl tried to apologize for the awkward act, but the ginger hushed her by putting a finger over those pair of succinct lips and whispered,

"It's okay . . . we're sisters, and things like these are only natural." By which she ended it with a lopsided smile strewn across her reddened face.

"Anyway, I'll be leaving for the frontlines tomorrow; so I just took a chance to play with for quite a bit."

They were still stuck at pinning each other on the ground; with Honoka pinning her little sister on the grass, exchanging subtle yet embarrassed stares at each other. Then the former decided to sit back up, for incest was forbidden amongst their family.

 _This is so wrong . . . I must not harbour any romantic feelings at this age . . . especially towards my dear sister!_

"Yukiho." She muttered while reaching her hand out to help the redhead up. The dazed sibling then held onto her kin's silky smooth palm, gulping on a dry throat as her heart skipped a beat once more.

Onee-chan . . . do you feel the same way as me?

As the two took their place by the waters of the pond; an unusual sight unfolded right before their eyes. It was approaching daybreak; and small flickering lights had appeared at the opposite bank, beaming out their last hurrahs before the sun took its perch on the dimly lit sky.

They both looked on with awe as their light poked through the thick cover of mist which seemed to sway its spectral haze; while the peculiar creatures moved within it in sync with its graceful yet sullen movements.

"You know; its little things like this which makes our world a better place to live in." Honoka remarked, while the sibling just looked at the swirling bugs whose luminescence slowly faded as the fog lost its ghostly veil with each passing moment.

"I agree." She then looked at her sister's face that was also affixed at the spectacle in front of her, and Yukiho couldn't help but admire her sister's stubborn optimism.

The chill was then replaced by a trickle of warmth as the sun's reddish halo coloured the purplish sky with its looming radiance, then the girl felt something warm touch her cold hand.

"I'm going to miss everyone here, especially you my dear imouto." Honoka then leaned in and gave her sibling a warm kiss on the forehead; then placed her own to say some parting words before she heads back inside to change to an officer's olive green uniform.

"You have to promise me something . . ." then Yukiho's aquamarine eyes widened when her sister presented a pinkie, a sign that it was something really important and must never be broken.

With a slight shudder, she raised clenched her fist and raised it near the ginger's own; then slowly, her finger slowly unfolded with a tremble.

"Don't be shy . . ." her sister then locked the two together, and she asked: "What is it you need me to swear senpai?"

"Simple, Promise me that you won't . . ."

Then Yukiho's dream was harried away when a sharp commanding voice blurted out from her radio:

"TOTSUGEKI, SEYO!" (STRIKE!) all of a sudden, the skies around her was ablaze with the popping blasts of anti aircraft flak; its small rounded puff of jet black smoke remained as a reminder to where it hit, right on the vicinity of her aircraft.

Then her heart was once more engulfed by crippling fear when she saw that one of the rounds had almost hit her canopy; and could've sent her to an untimely demise.

"KOUSAKA! STRAFE THE AMERICANS DOWN!"

Still, she didn't move a bit; the loud pounding of her heart rang through the ear like a taiko drum, pitching its low toned boom at each second. The young lieutenant then felt her arms and legs were numb either by adrenaline or sheer terror; and didn't know what to do at that point in time.

"YUKIHO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! DIVE! DIVE NOW! YUKIHO!" the redhead then snapped out from confusion when she heard Fumiko's all too familiar voice; then looked from side to side to assess the situation.

 _So this is Pearl Harbour._

Grey clad ships were neatly anchored in rows, while tiny spots of white ran to and fro on its decks from sheer panic; then suddenly, violent explosions rattled her aircraft which cruised aimlessly through the battlefield.

 _The horror . . . is this what Senpai experienced before?_

A pillar of smoke billowed right next to her as her kin laid waste to Ford airfield; a small islet which sat right in the middle of the harbours gaping mouth. The eerie humming of their planes together with their enemy's wailing sirens, popping flak, and faint screams of torment made her squirm from within; while the hand that held onto the steering stick twitched at each resonated blast.

"Yukiho, Fight-o dai-yo!"

Onee-chan . . .

"KOUSAKA! MOVE YOUR ASS!" the infuriated captain yelled out once more; slapping reality back to the girl who frantically turned the stick towards the left, blatantly disobeying her commander's orders before pulling of that fateful dive.

"GAIKOKU HITO SUKAMUDAI!" (Die foreign scum!) A zero pilot yelled out with a voice which almost crossed the realm insanity; his maniacal laughter further adding the pent up fear which brewed within her chest.

Yukiho's a6m leaned on its side as it struggled to follow her whim; slowly reeling towards starboard side, giving her a full view of airfield.

The hangars were facing each other on a long strip of concrete runway; while the skeletons of neatly lined fighters smouldered in embers as the dive bombers systematically swooped in and dropped a hefty payload, followed by a quick flash of orange light as it explodes.

Craters were strewn about on the concrete floor, together with blotches of red from people of different races.

Neither black nor white were spared from the fury of the Japanese Navy; their lifeless husks lay side by side, their hopes and dreams harried away by a bullet's tap. A reminder that death came no matter what the colour of their skin is.

Like a swarm of angry wasps, the aviators bent all their fury towards the poor sailors; strafing them with machinegun and cannon shell which simply tore them apart like they were made of nothing more than reed.

She could clearly see the exchange of bright tracer rounds from the two factions; hissing through the air while leaving a trail of wispy smoke behind which served as a reference to the defending gunners and the cruel assailants.

Then the lieutenant spotted something running through the pockmarked runway; a black silhouette which tried its best to outrun the raiders. She then pushed the throttle to gain more speed to examine object further; and the plane wheezed as it exerted more power into the engines, which took her close enough to realize that it was an enemy fighter, desperately gaining momentum to take off and defend his nation's soil.

 _I'm sorry, but I must do my duty as a soldier; but I'll do my best to just clip your wing._

Taking in a deep breath, she levelled the aircraft by yanking the rod the right while pressing against the same pedal with a lightened step; and now her view was now back once more at ground level; for the horizon and the backdrop of port facilities lay in a panoramic view in front of her.

The ambience of chaos and discord were reduced to malicious whispers as the girl tried her best to align the reflective sights on the gauge riddled dashboard; it was just a piece of mirror with an orange cross diverging towards a small red dot. Beyond that, the sable aircraft scurried through the blood ridden airfield; proudly wearing its wing insignia that was a white star with a large red dot at its heart, sitting on the circular background of lightened blue.

She then lowered the throttle by pulling it halfway, and felt its speed had considerably decreased; the gauges were reversing their dials, but the one that she must take heed was that of the speedometer; whose red hand was slowly dropping to the 250th mark.

 _A P40 . . . such an outdated piece._

The Curtiss P40 Hawk was one of the premier fighters used by US Army Air Corps during the dawn of the 40's; a huge bulky aircraft that was armed by four Browning .50 calibre machineguns that was found by pairs on its engine compartment and wings. It had a characteristic gape under its nose, which was used to feed air into its engines to cool it down.

This was also the aircraft responsible for the losses taken by the IJA during their Chinese campaign, fighting under the unit called the "Flying Tigers."

Composed of American Army volunteers who can't stand the atrocities of the Imperial Army; they deliberately came to the jungles of Burma together with their pieces, giving aerial aid to the Kuomintang that was on the brink of annihilation by General Okamura's Central Army Group

To distinguish a member of this elite corps; their Hawks were painted with a pair of bloodshot eyes at either side of its nose with a large gaping shark mouth which bristled with teeth, causing some Yamadon pilots to flee at its mere sight. But the fight was one not that one sided however, as they also incurred heavy losses after inexperienced pilots were replaced by veterans who were fighting since the siege of Shanghai three years ago.

This was a fact she had learned from constant eavesdropping over her peers; but luckily she was on the other side of the world, and the guy she'll be shooting down must be as inexperienced just like her.

 _Always remember, lead the target and take into account the pull of gravity due to the size of the bullets._

Panning her eyes through the horizon for any threats; she then cleared her mind of any clouding thoughts, albeit those she had learned from flight school.

 _20mm is heavier but packs an explosive punch than the obviously smaller 7.7 Arisaka._

Like a bird of prey stalking its victim, she took note of the Hawk's movement; trying to find the right time to pour a combination of shots down range.

The attack was already on full swing; sparing nothing even the nearby barracks and officer's lounges further inland. Dive bombers didn't return immediately after they dropped their bombs, but instead they lingered on; expunging their cowling based type 97's to those who were unlucky enough to be caught in its sights.

The waters under the harbour was protected by rows upon rows of anti submarine and torpedo nets; but this didn't stop the audacious pilots of the green flushed "Kate" naval bombers who dropped their motorized payloads that had a very simple and cheap modification: An tail fin made of wood which acted as a floater to their torpedoes which would normally sink deeper and gets stuck on the net.

Its wispy wake rippled through the water; passing underneath the wriggling mess of sailors, soldiers and the dying who bailed out of their ships, gasping desperately for air while being mercilessly mowed down by bursts coming from the A6m's.

Slowly it crept until it hits the hull of the unlucky vessel; briefly flashing a bright yellow light which was followed by the deafening sound of a violent explosion which snapped it in two, sending all of those trapped within into their watery graves.

The defenders fought with all they had, shooting rifle rounds against the flying raiders; that had sadly done little or had missed altogether. Flak emplacements were quite numerous on the airfield; all lined up throughout the runway, firing their quad barrelled cannons which popped at each pull of the trigger, blowing up some Japanese who were at the wrong place and at the wrong time.

Their airframes simply disintegrated after a round hit the fuel tanks under their wings; followed by a fireball which resembled a meteor as chips of its aluminium skin accompanied the embers to the ground.

But even though the casualties were mounting up, their objectives of taking the enemy by surprise had been achieved; and Captain Iwamoto reported back to his superior who will then relay it into the Imperial Navy's headquarters on Kure prefecture: right into the ears of the one who planned the entire operation.

After a brief crackle of ear piercing static, he said: "Kyo, kanzen'na odoroki wa tassei sa remashita! Ko do Tora! Tora! Tora!" (Sir, complete surprise had been achieved! Code Tiger! Tiger! Tiger!) While cruising above the battlefield strewn with metal scraps, smoke, and embers.

All the members of the IJN whether in the chaotic skies above Pearl Harbour or in the deepest bowels of their steel clad ships, heard the leader's stern toned transmission; sending them all into euphoria except the young lady who was yet to earn her first kill.

 _Just a little more . . ._

She raised the aircraft's nose for quite a bit to compensate with her enemy's movement, but took care not to point the dot directly towards her target; giving it a lead of one inch.

Her trigger finger twitched from both excitement and fear, because once she misses the wings and hits the cockpit instead; then another family will be depraved by their loved one, something which she never wanted to happen.

Yukiho's pupils dilated when finally, the Curtiss p40 was on the right spot and quickly pressed the trigger; sending a very violent burst of cannon fire which shook the entire canopy from its recoil.

She looked on with awe as the flaming orange rounds had hit where she intended it to go, right through the left wing; clipping it clean off the fuselage which caused it to slide back towards the ground.

 _I hope you survive and return to your family safe and sound._

"Yukiho! Congratulations, you got your first kill!" the girl couldn't had felt even better when she heard her friends high pitched and annoying tone; giving her some sort of relief.

"It's not yet considered a kill unless you made sure it is." Then out of the corner of her eye, a streak of olive green dove down like an eagle towards the hapless adversary; spewing forth hot lead which instantaneously blew it up and reduced it into forlorn scraps.

The captain then pulled up and manoeuvred right next to the mortified lieutenant; giving out a furious glare from her insubordination.

"I'll blow you out of the sky just like that man if you'll ever make a mistake of disobeying my orders."

She felt her jaws had locked as her eyes stared with his, then he thought that it was already enough and climbed up to survey the entire area.

But the mastermind of the attack wasn't satisfied with the results, and ordered another strike to ensure that the US will be crippled once and for all. Vice Admiral Nagumo then gave out an order to recall all who were present during that raid; leaving the bewildered Americans to sulk from their losses.

It was a day of mourning for them, but for the Japanese; it was the day the sun will finally rise onto Asia.

* * *

Epilogue:

A man clad on a black tuxedo with matching spit polished shoes feverishly paced through the red carpeted halls of a white washed building, filled with gold laminated paintings of past leaders who posed with a slight hint of a smile on their faces; he then took a sharp turn to face a large lacquered door which was guarded by men who wore a navy blue dress, white peaked cap, and light blue pants with a yellow stripe that ran at the seams.

"Please, let me in. I have something important to tell him." He then flashed a sheet of paper on the guard's faces; they then looked at each other and opened it up, revealing a grandiose room whose wooden floor gleamed with furniture that was carefully tended to by its tenants, and a gigantic window whose light almost blinded the man as he carefully took his steps into the oval office.

The pitter patter of his shoes alerted a grey haired man sitting on tanned leather lined chair; who it turned around and gave off a discerning stare at his secretary who was sweating profusely as if something urgent was going on.

After tugging his collar to catch a whiff of air, the man then puts the piece of paper at tabletop and waited anxiously as the occupant picked up his glasses and read every detail of it with his eyes that shone through like that of a hawk.

A few seconds later; He calmly takes off his glasses then remarked, "I knew it that they can't be trusted." then turned around to face the window, in hopes of to stopping himself from bursting into tears.

"Call a press conference; then tell the others to meet up in Congress."

"Y-yes sir." The secretary was about to leave the room when the man spoke up once more:

"And put Mac Arthur on the line . . . I have something to tell him."

He then went on to stare at the peaceful scenery outside his gilded cage; contemplating at what are the consequences he will face once his nation entered the jaws of hell.

* * *

Final Note: Sorry, I got distracted again! Belated Happy new year to all! :D

I have made some historical deviances . . . Hope you noticed it :)


	3. A Buried Past

Note: I'm sorry that I had just updated, for well . . . I am easily distracted by random clips again, plus the bustles of daily life.

Disclaimer: Love Live is sole the property of Sunrise. I do not own anything except . . . this bunch random scribbles.

I sincerely apologize for my tardiness and errors too.

And I hope you enjoy though, and thanks for reading! :)

* * *

 _Below the towering peaks of the Cordilleras lay a town surrounded by a thick swirling veil of the morning mist; a place where the merciless restraint of time seemed to have ceased its course, together with their culture that had never moved away from the era when the land was held by the Spanish crown._

 _Surrounded by a lush jungle and bordered by the mighty Cagayan River to the east, it's no surprise that the town of Magcalon proved to be a tough nut to find for foreigners that sought to civilize its backward inhabitants; until the U.S Army marched through its gates and razed it on the ground during the Philippine-American war._

 _The bugles had long been silent, and the Philippines is now a colony flourishing under the star spangled banner; but the scars lingered on, and their distrust for white men seemed to be endless as well._

 _It appeared that this village will never see the light of the civilized world, until an eccentric pair moved in and slowly changed their views for the better._

 **Chapter 3: A Buried Past**

It was just a usual Monday morning, and the song of the sparrows reverberated through the entirety of this sleepy village as the sun slowly took its perch amongst the backdrop of clouds.

Little children were frolicking around with their kites following close behind; while their mothers remained indoors to tend for their husbands who still have a tinge of alcohol lacing their morning breath.

But among these people who were hardened by years of living on the mountains is a foreigner; whose features were far from the stubby, brown, and shorter Filipinos.

He lived alone on his hut; surrounded by kind neighbours who'll never think twice of lending this man a helping hand . . . even if he vehemently refused their offer.

His name is Ivan Ayase, also known as "Tatang Russo" or Old man Russkie due to his fading blonde mane, blue eyes, and a bushy moustache.

The villagers were so fond of this Russian man, for he is quite a novelty among them. They call him out whenever they tend to their fields, and this old guy never seemed to have the slightest intention of backing down to their requests whether it's climbing atop a coconut tree or a drinking session together with the rowdy farmers . . . especially with the village chief that knows how to speak English as opposed to his uneducated kin.

He moved to this sleepy village on the foothills of the Cordilleras during the year of 1925; together with his wife who was a total bombshell, but died shortly after giving birth to Alisa: the girl that closely resembled her in any way, except the trait of a very stubborn mule that was inherited by his daughter who joined the commonwealth army.

 _Elizabeth . . . you stupid girl . . ._ He thought as he was sitting by the window overlooking the "sentinel's hill"; his wife's final resting place overlooking the village on the west.

"I feel like I was robbed of a chance to be happy . . . and a parent of two troublemakers who didn't even consider my feelings towards them." The man then read an article that was published a week ago which gave off details that the Japanese Army stationed in Formosa is behaving rather strangely, especially during the first week of December that happened to be the anniversary of the thirteen day siege of their arch nemesis' capital: Nanking.

"Those Imperial murderers . . . I can't believe they were able to beat us to a punch."

Ivan was once a high ranking officer of the Red Army; serving on a unit which was only known by its coded designation: Red Orchestra. He worked there after the Bolsheviks won a stunning victory over their tsarist rivals, on a project which aimed to create a super soldier who feels neither pain nor fear of death.

Many initially volunteered to be experimented upon in hopes of getting all the fame and glory from the grand commissar; but due to their lack of scientific expertise and constant intervention by the higher echelon, the project instead garnered a notorious reputation of being a one way ticket to the depths of hell.

The government upon learning its horrific failure hunted down the Ayase patriarch who ironically turned for help at his old enemy, the pro tsarist "white" movement who was eager to assist him with his escape but only with one condition: he'll give up all the blueprints and documents pertaining to the project nicknamed "Matryoshka."

He agreed, and was given a female escort who posed as a nun during his travel through Japanese held territories of Manchuria and Korea to rendezvous with an agent that would bring him to the only American colony that was near the disputed lands.

He knew for a fact that his nation and the Empire had years of anonymity against each other; but with a hefty price, he easily bribed his way through lines of Army and police detachments scattered along the way . . . including the notorious Pyongyang garrison that was then under the leadership of Lieutenant Colonel Tojo.

 _You know what they say; money makes the world go round, even the coldest of men._

It was during his journey through the land of the morning calm where he eventually developed a relationship with his escort; a love affair in the midst of disgrace which bloomed and later on bore him a child whom he named Eli, a constant reminder of how beautiful and sweet it was to be loved.

Carrying with him a set of fake documents and the remainder of his wealth; he arrived on the busy hub of Manila harbour during the cover of night, and was assisted by a band of Chinese mobsters that brought him to the nearby parochial of San Lorenzo Ruiz where he spent half of the year on learning how to become a full time priest.

Of course he kept his past hidden away, and the bishop there didn't have the slightest idea that the man whom they harboured within the confines of their church was in fact a murderer under the guise of an immigrant; during which after his training, was sent to evangelize a certain village found on the foot of the towering Cordilleras.

A place where he'll eventually settle down and form a family together with his right wing bride.

The journey was rough, and the only road which led to this old Spanish pueblo zigzagged its way through the jungle; and to make it a hell lot worse than it already was, an Army detachment was to be found nearby . . . It's commander demanded a hefty sum just to pass or face being beaten up to a pulp or shot as a spy.

It was here that he learned that corruption had buried itself deep within the fabric of this society, for they also mugged the local populace for their supplies; but he must conform to this flawed system just to achieve his ultimate goal of an idyllic and peaceful life, far from the ravenous grasp of his own kin.

The time he arrived to the secluded village of Magcalon, the townspeople didn't greet them at all; instead, they hid within their houses at the mere sight of a white person coming up through their street towards the shack of the village chief who was surprisingly fluent in English. . . The only man he could count on during their early days on this backwater town.

This is where Eli was born, a girl who grew up clueless about her parent's tumultuous past.

Finally, the years of distrust against white men was lifted by this Russian giant; all because they persevered in the midst of discrimination then taught them about the world outside the confines of their village that spurred had their imagination, coupled with the kindness that was shared to them by his loving wife.

Together they enjoyed years of bliss living amongst the locals who had already regarded them as their own flesh and blood; until the tragedy that followed Alisa's birth.

After a harrowing night of painful delivery, his wife died; leaving him to tend for the sisters who grew up to be fine young ladies that were admired by all the teenage boys.

While Sophia was well loved by the locals and was given a privilege of being laid to rest under the shade of a large mango tree atop of a hill that was said to be there before Magcalon was founded more than a hundred years ago; watching over the sleepy town for years as it finally lifted its veil of seclusion and opened its doors for eventual prosperity.

Now he is just a simple man living on the mountains; stripped bare of his rank and stripes, living amongst a people who were really fond of living very simple lives close to Mother Nature.

All the while burying a painful past by continuing his work as a missionary.

"I hope that the rumours of war will remain a gossip, for I don't want to run for my life once more." He then stood up from his seat and prepared himself to work on the fields.

"Hey Ivan! Hurry up! We still have a lot of tilling to do!" A familiar voice hollered out from his front yard; followed by a "Moo" from a water buffalo.

"I haven't even eaten my breakfast yet!" Ivan then looked at his pocket watch and noticed that it was just too early to report for fieldwork.

"And it's still five forty five! What the hell is wrong with you?!" he cried while putting on his work clothes consisting of a long sleeved and collarless buttoned garment called camisa de chino, denim pants, and a straw hat.

"Don't worry about it bro! I carried with me a basket full of bread and a thermos flask! And oh . . . do you have some extra cups there? For mine got chewed away by this dumb animal."

"Moo!" the carabao responds from sheer disagreement.

The Russian then rushed towards the kitchen and grabbed four bamboo cups before heading outside, and was greeted by a two fingered salute from his buddies.

"Idiot, I bet you left your cups still laced with alcohol!" He scowled while shoving it into the basket.

"It's my wife's fault . . . she didn't wash It." the captain responded with a smirk.

The band then headed towards the fields, through the narrow dusty road where he remembered his daughters playing a game of tag.

 _My, they grew up so fast._

"Magandang umaga Kapitan!"(Good morning captain!) A lady greeted out as the group walked along a row of nipa huts which bordered the road; each of them having a plot full of tomatoes, chilli peppers, and fences pocked by bitter gourd vines.

"Magandang umaga din sayo Aling Maria!"(Same to you Maria!) The captain replied while waving his hand like a celebrity.

"Aba, Tatang Russo . . . Mag ingat ka jan kay kapitan, baka paaakyatin ka na naman niyan sa ibabaw ng niyog para lang sa pulutan!"(Ah, Ivan . . . You better watch your back when you're around Mr. Chief, or he'll force you to again to climb the coconut tree to find some "appetizers")

Ivan then gave off a smile from the lady's warning and said: "Wag ka mag alala Aleng Maria, palalanguyin ko sila sa Cagayan pag mangyari yan!"(Don't you worry Maria, for I'll make them swim the entirety of the Cagayan River if that happens!) Then ended the statement with a wink.

"Sadist." The chief mumbled then tried to avert the topic by asking about his daughter's whereabouts.

"So, did Eli write to you? I heard from one of our folks that had ventured into the capital that she's assigned in Corregidor right now." The Russian just pursed his lip and tried to act dumb about it.

"Nope. That ungrateful brat didn't even send me a toilet paper filled with random scribbles on it." He jokingly remarked, but the truth is; the blonde sent him a myriad of letters, including a picture of her posing atop the wall's limestone parapet with a note: Wish you were here!

 _Fool. . . You think I'll just shrug off all the grievances you gave me?_

"Oh, so sad . . . how about Alisa?" the captain followed up; which was still responded by another dumb answer from the patriarch.

"Nah, she's too busy living the good life there on Moscow . . . No time to spare for her grumpy old bull, nope!" Just like her sister; Alisa also sent a lot of letters, including a dire report that the Germans had suddenly invaded their homeland and fears that she might get forcefully drafted into the Red Army . . . Notorious for its harsh corporal punishments and frequent cases of desertion within its ranks.

 _So much for Stalin at the helm._

The group was then stopped at a crossroad when an army of ducks marched through; causing them all to laugh as the small awkward bird honked their way through the neighbourhood. Ivan then saw the guy responsible for it following close behind and jests:

"Hindi pala tayo magkakaproblema sa pulutan nito mamaya."(I guess we'll never have a problem about our "appetizers" later on.) The captain and his lackeys then nodded in agreement while the poultry owner responded by lifting his straw hat as a salute then smiled.

Soon, the column was able to pass through and they resumed taking their course; greeting other villagers who were all wearing smiles on their faces while drinking a refreshing cup of ginger tea called "Salabat."

The sharp smell of this humble root crop wafted through the air; and made the friends hungry as they paced through the village.

"Grabe, nagugutom talaga ako pag maka amoy ako ng Salabat nayan." (Woah, I feel so hungry whenever I smell that ginger tea.) One of the chief's lackeys remarked, but was assured by his boss that they'll have a very nice breakfast treat once they reach the shack by the field's edge.

"Mag hintay ka muna . . . kakain tayo mamaya pagdating natin doon."(Just hang on there . . . we'll eat as soon as we arrive there.) He nonchalantly retorts from his grunt's rant.

Meanwhile, Ivan averted his gaze towards the towering peaks; its misty tops showing off a little hint of the sun's radiant rays as it rose to take its place above the clouds.

 _I am thankful that I ended up living on this land, even if fate was unrelenting towards me._

His blue eyes were soon covered by a mantle of tears as he remembered the smiles of his daughters whom he maltreated because of the hate which brewed after the death of his wife.

 _But . . . could they forgive me for what I've done?_

As the man sank deeper into his thoughts; a few miles south on the glistening waters of Manila de Bay, the easy go lucky blonde was still on the middle of inter land transit, unaware about the events unfolding at Pearl Harbour.

She just sat at the leading edge of the boat, dangling her legs overboard while looking intently at the ripples it made as it sliced through the waters.

 _Father, please reply to the letters I sent . . ._

Eli then averted her gaze to the right and saw the hot headed sergeant running a finger through her knife's blade.

"Why don't you try and slit your wrist with that and then tell me how it feels?" She sarcastically remarked and earned a scowl from Maki who took the insult quite literally.

"Want me to bury this on your mouth so you could shut up?"

Trying to ease the tension, the blonde then gave off a smile and replied "Woah, I'm just trying to start a conversation here! Calm down!" then ended it with a giggle.

Hearing this, the sergeant then holstered the knife back on her gaiters and crossed her arms. "You got my attention alright, but can't you even strike one without a chance of pissing me off?"

"Come on, we're friends! Get used to it!" Eli then held onto the railings and supported herself to stand up.

"Psht, what do you want anyway?" the redhead then did the same and confronted her superior who has a smug grin on her face.

"Nothing." She then turned around to see the sun beaming down on them as it slowly took its perch; and reached out her hand as if to grab it from the sky.

Maki then looked at the same direction as the lieutenant and remarks: "Just a little more and we'll finally arrive at the harbour . . . so you better prepare."

"Really? That means you'll be my guide, right?" Eli raised an eyebrow, by which the sergeant nonchalantly replied: "Yeah, whatever mountain girl." and ending it with a sarcastic smirk.

Offended by the term which Maki had coined for her, the blonde returned to sit down on the edge and reached out for a pen; writing down all the sights that she must see within the place which her fellow country folk called: "Ginintuang Ciudad" or the Golden city.

Manila had always fascinated the young Russian gal; as those who had the privilege of stepping upon its cobbled streets returned with tales of people trapped within wooden boxes that talked aimlessly for hours on end, and corn that was magically transformed into a delicious puff of steamy yellow cloud.

Indeed, a marvellous thing . . . but for a city slicker like Maki, it is called television and popcorn respectively.

The nosy sergeant then leaned right next to her blonde friend who seemed to be busy at scribbling random stuff on her palm; written on a language that was very difficult for the redhead to understand.

Curious, she nudged at her shoulder and asked: "What are you writing Eli?"

Eli then stopped from her incessant slashing and replied, "Things to do when I'm in Manila."

Hearing this, the redhead then held onto her wrist and tried to decipher the language which the blonde had written upon her palm; wincing out from sheer difficulty for the lieutenant's handwriting seemed to resemble a cross between cursive and that written by a drunken rooster.

"Oh, you must be troubled? Don't tell me you can't understand Tagalog?" She beamed while staring intently at the bewildered subordinate.

"I . . ." Maki stuttered, but was immediately interrupted by Eli's sarcastic response. "You've been living here on the Philippines for quite some time but never had a chance to learn their language?"

Flustered, the sergeant looked away and twirled a lock of her hair; giving the blonde a sign that her friend was just too shy to admit about her lack of knowledge of the Filipino's native language.

She then read the notes aloud for the Chinese immigrant to understand while skimming the pen under each phrase; stressing out each word together with its pronunciation.

"Now, the heading says 'Mga dapat gawin pag ako'y nasa Maynila' . . . In a nutshell, it means: Things to do when I'm in Manila!"

"Shut up, I definitely know that." The sergeant mumbled; but it didn't stop the enthusiastic blonde to teach some more basic linguistics to her subordinate.

"Now for the scribbles . . . This first sentence says 'Bumili ng Alak para sa heneral' in which 'Alak' is their word for anything bottled and made of rye or grapes; and has an intoxicating effect after a few sips. . . therefore, it means: to buy some wine for the general!" She then finished it with a giggle, hoping that the stubborn redhead would at least give a proper response which never came.

It kind of drew a frown on the blonde's face, but in reality; her friend's lilac eyes were stealing glimpses at the phrases which she had just painstakingly explained, but was a tad too shy to admit it.

After a moment of silence, Eli then swallowed her pride and continued on: "Here's another one . . . 'Gumala sa Luneta!' which means: to roam around Luneta Park!" still, no reply from her friend who was now closing her left eye to further mask her interest on the topic.

 _Oh boo . . . You're no fun at all Maki._

Defeated, Eli moved away from her friend and looked at the last sentence that was on her palm; all the while biting her lip to stop herself from bursting into tears.

 _I must write to Papa about my adventures here in Manila, and tell him that I'll be coming home this Christmas._

She then looked down to the ripples as it dissipated into the deep blue sea and muttered a prayer to ease the sorrow which lingered in her soul.

* * *

Meanwhile, Ivan and his associates were busy beating the ground with their hoes; never stopping until all the soil on the field had been broken down and tilled.

The feeling of being tired had never crossed this man's mind; for he already got used to it, and thought of it instead as an opportunity to further bolster his muscle mass.

Unlike the usual build people expected for a clergyman, Ivan still retained the body of a soldier; by which he just hid under the cover of his parochial coat.

And sometimes, a good game of arm wrestling could further lessen his stress; but the guy who always gets his arm almost snapped off was the village chieftain, for other guys just don't want to mess around with the large Russian on their stead.

Bit by bit, chunks of soil were broken down as his hoe's curved blade stuck itself on its entirety; together with an unsung prayer that the harvest may be good and plentiful.

He was surrounded by his comrades who also shared the same toils like his, all the while singing a tune which contained some folkloric yet usual themes on it; such as how to woo a girl without getting caught by her father, and how to milk a cow without getting kicked on the groin.

Ivan just laughed it off as the others including the captain added some vulgarities into the mix; then whistled on as they plunged their tools into the fertile soil, while his lackeys struggled to tame the unruly water buffalo as it dragged them through the field.

 _This is far from my life on the motherland._

This is how he lived his days together with the Filipinos, working hand in hand even if he's different from them; sharing toils together with their spoils of the crops when it bears fruit.

"Hoy, Magpahinga muna kayo! Luto na ang pagkain!" (Hey, take a load off for the food's now ready to eat!) One of the men's wives called out, after which a horde of sweaty and hungry farmers came rampaging through the fields towards the comforting shade of a nearby grove lined with coconut trees where the women had prepared something extra special for them.

The captain and his lackeys did the same too while tying the carabao on a nearby tree; just in case the animal would spoil the picnic by its weird antics.

Meanwhile, Ivan was left alone on the field; determined to finish his share of the work by reaching its set boundary.

"Oy Ivan, Hinay hinay lang! baka mabuntis mo pa yung lupa!" (Hey Ivan, take it easy or you're going to impregnate the soil with that thing!) A villager remarked as the foreigner feverishly beats the ground bare with the hoe.

"Gago!" (Idiot!) He responded with a smirk in kind.

The farmer then puts the hoe by his shoulder and retorts: "Tara, oras na para kainin ang pinaghanda sa atin ng mga kababaihan!" (Come on, It's already time to eat what our girls had prepared for us!)

"Sige, pero tatapusin ko muna to."(Sure, but I have to finish this first.) The Russian then lifts the instrument to deal a final strike and call it a day when an image of his two beloved children flashed on the darkest recesses of his mind; causing him to let go of it and thought:

 _It had been a long time since I saw their faces . . ._

But before he could ponder any further, the village captain tapped on his shoulder and said: "Ivan, the sun's going to burn you up soon. Let's just call it a day eh?"

He then shifted his gaze towards the chief and replied, "But, I haven't finished yet; just one more and I'll be done for the day." But the man shook his head and assured his foreign friend that everything will be alright . . . after siesta time that is.

"Nonsense, don't worry about it. We'll take care of it after our siesta!" He then called for two of his lieutenants who carried with them a pitcher and a bamboo cup filled to the brim with their favourite drink called tuba; or fermented palm juice which kind of smelled like vinegar mixed with fart.

They knew the Caucasian guy fell in love after having his first sip back on the day; and made it a running gag amongst them as his pale face magically turns into a very bright flash of red after a few cups.

"Chief, wait . . . I told you before that I'm going to skip for a week." He protests, but the man just nudged it on his shoulder and beamed, "It's like as if Sophia would mind! Come on, just one for the road!" He then followed it with a sarcastic grin.

For a moment, the Russian looked at his friend's face and thought:

 _If you weren't my friend, your jaw could've flown clear off your cheeks._

After her untimely demise, Ivan never felt the warmth he once had and bent all his frustrations to the sisters who were innocent at what was going on.

He always came home drunk and filled to the core with hate, giving off very harsh disciplinary actions at the tiniest bit of mistake; until one of them had enough and ran away to follow her dreams.

 _Elizabeth . . . You fool, you're just as stubborn as your mother._

He then looked away and took the cup, chugging down its sour, tangy, vinegary flavoured fluid down his throat like a man who seemed to be carrying the world on his broad shoulders.

The trio just looked at him out of amazement, then one of them leaned in to their leader and whispered: "Aba, Oras naba para ilabas natin ang pulutan ser?" (Well then, is it time for us to present him the appetizers sir?) The captain then nodded out in response, and the guy ran towards the clearing to prepare another drinking session with their eccentric buddy.

After ridding the cup of all its contents; he wiped the residue off his moustache and asked for more of his desired drink by nudging the cup towards the man who carried a pitcher full of it.

"Yan talaga ang gusto ko sayo Ivan, hindi ka talaga umaayaw kahit kailan!"(That's what I like about you Ivan, You never back down on anything!) The guy then filled the cup once more with its yellowish content; earning a smile from the Ayase patriarch.

"Well, Arturo must've already prepared our session! I guess we should resume this after eating lunch!" The village leader then guided his buddy through the barren field; while his lieutenants followed behind, still wearing a mischievous grin on their faces.

It was an idyllic scene as people were clustered together as if they had familial ties with one another; sharing a meal of vegetable soup placed on lined up banana leaves together with a mound of rice that was accordingly spread on its entirety, this is a tradition amongst the townsfolk to strengthen their bond and it was called a _boodle fight_.

The area was filled with vivacious chatter and innocent laughter as the people of the land indulged in the beauty of nature that surrounded them; further amplified by the cool mountain breeze which wrapped the site with its alluring scent of fresh kalachuchi flowers on full bloom.

Ivan couldn't help but feel at peace together with the Filipinos, as the euphoric fragrance of the blossoming buds soothed his senses; followed by the smell of freshly cooked rice served with a bamboo's worth of distilled palm wine.

The men gathered round the large pot that was being put to the sides by their beloved girls; drooling as the women slowly withdrew the lid of the earthen pot which revealed their all time favourite, nilagang baka or boiled beef stew.

"Yan talaga ang hinahanap ng sikmura ko!" (Now that's what my stomach's had really been grumbling for!) The chieftain beamed while digging into the pot with his spoon; earning ice cold glares from his kin as he dumped some copious amount of meat on his platter.

"Hoy! Manira ka naman! Marami pa ang hindi nakakain niyan!"(Hey! Leave some for the others! A lot of us still haven't eaten yet!) A lady sneered then hits his hand with a wooden ladle; causing him to stop from his gluttonous rampage.

"Pasensya na po!"(Sorry!) The guy then returns to sit right next to Ivan who was just leaning against the coconut's gnarled trunk; waiting for his turn to partake upon the blessings of the land.

"Hey! Want some meat?" he offered some to the Russian who just stared at him; his face flushing red as the liquor's intoxicating punch had already infused itself on his system.

Sensing that his friend won't give him any sort of proper response; he immediately gives a lecture to his lackeys for giving the man a lot of the stuff before he could fill his stomach with much needed food.

"Anak ng . . . walang hiya kayo, lasing na tong si tatang tapos inubos nyo pa ang reserba ng inumin natin!"(Son of a . . . you shameless twats, look at what you've done! Ivan is already drunk as fuck and you didn't stop until our reserve of fermented palm juice ran out of stock!) He then commanded them to grab another bamboo stalk full of it from his house that was a couple of kilometres away from the field.

But without any further ado, the guys immediately dashed out of his sight while the chief assists his friend to sit down as he would get some food for him.

"I better stuff you with food before the liquor screws you up entirely." He then took a fresh sheet of banana leaf and placed it in front of his Caucasian friend who still felt the world was rolling around his head.

"Pahinge naman ng kanin jan!"(Give us some rice here!) A girl that was carrying a small pot then came over and poured it on the leaf; followed by another who acted from her own accord, putting bits of boiled meat and some chilli pepper to spice things up.

He then scooped the steaming heap by his bare hand and tried to put it on Ivan's mouth when the Russian finally regained his senses and stopped the awkward act from even happening.

"What the hell were you thinking?" the Russian then narrowed his eyebrows towards his friend who just withdrew his hand and ate its contents like nothing had happened.

"Sorry about that . . . I thought your mind got screwed so hard by the brew." The chief then followed it with a sarcastic burst of laughter.

"Idiot, you must've forgotten who is the last man standing during our drinking games." He immediately retorts, and scoops some for himself.

"Yeah, whatever Ivan." The captain then grabbed some more and stuffed it into his mouth.

And as they finished the main course with each prevailing scoop; they then formed a group and sat facing one another, taking turns pouring the liquor onto their bamboo cups while flashing euphoric grins as they dug their hands on a plate full of chicken adobo.

"Tatang, dahan dahan lang; baka mabilaukan ka!"(Hey gramps, take it slow or you'll suffocate from eating like that!) One of them jests, but the Russian was already a tad drunk and felt really annoyed from the man's sarcastic advice.

"Ulol! Mag hunos dili ka, dahil baka uuwi ka na wala nang ngiping nakakabit jan sa gilagid mo!" (Fool! You better behave yourself or you'll be going home with no teeth left hanging down your gum line!) Sensing that the threat would soon come into fruition if his kin would keep dishing out witty remarks, the chief leaned in on the guy and lets off a dire warning on messing with the foreigner.

"Tol, mag ingat ka sa Russo . . . Yan ang tipo ng tao na iiwasan mo kapag nagalit."(Dude, be careful when you're with the Russian . . . he's the type of guy you should avoid once angered.) Paling from sheer terror, the man just gulped and continued on to take a piece of meat from the plate like nothing had happened.

Seeing that the guy had already shut his lip; Ivan laughs out loud and says: "Bro, alam mo naman na binibiro lang kita eh! Umimik ka naman jan!" (Bro, come on! Say something! You know I was just pulling your leg back there!) He then taps on the man's shoulder with his large callous hand, causing the latter to moan as the food was expelled from his mouth.

"Dude, you sounded like you were going to give him a punch!" The captain sneered as he chewed on the steamy rice.

"Come on, we're buddies! You know I can't do that to my comrades!" He then lifts his cup and cheered: "Para sa ating pagkakaibigan!"(For our friendship!) The group then locked cups with him and replied, "At para din sa ating magandang kinabukasan!" (And for our brighter future!)

"Moo!" the carabao then interrupted their little picnic and drank from the pitcher which still had some left over palm juice on it; causing the group to curse out in unison. "Ay tae!" (Oh, Shit!)

One of the men then rushed in to restrain the tanned beast as it stubbornly dug its snout on the pitcher's lip; while Ivan and the rest of his crew hurriedly took the plates away in case the animal would take the pleasure of slobbering all over it too.

"Wow! I had just realized that even our humble beast of burden would love to join us during lunch!" He jokingly remarked to his only English speaking buddy who was still cursing madly as the other two struggled to keep the beast at bay.

The Russian then thought of something which could help tame the bovine monstrosity; crunching his knuckles which caught the attention of his friend who asked: "What the hell are you trying to do Ivan?"

He then gave off a wink and replied: "I'll handle it chief, don't you worry about it!" the missionary then walked towards the beast and pulled a five fingered leaf off his pocket; the animal paused from its hunger induced rage and looked at it intently, its coal black eyes sparkling with interest to the barbed absinthe leaf.

"I know you want this boy, come and get it." Without any hint of hesitation, the carabao then bit it off his hand and chewed it away like the satisfied beast it was.

"Did you just?" the chief remarked out of disbelief, then the Russian came back and said: "Well, I had observed that this animal loves to chew some cannabis growing by the river's edge!" He then ended the statement with a laugh.

"Tang ina mo Ivan! Napaka astig mo!"(Ivan you son of a bitch! You're so cool!) One of the men hollered out while dragging the docile beast of burden towards a coconut tree to be tied once more while those who had seen the act hollered out with glee.

"Who knew that crazy leaf could cure a mad cow just like that?" The chief remarked.

"Remedies come out of unexpected sources my friend." The missionary then ended it with a chuckle.

"Anyway, maybe we should go by the river bank to wash up." The village chief then lead the way towards the meandering river together with some of his mates, leaving the befuddled Russian to clean up the mess made by the beast.

 _Sigh, I hope Elizabeth was here._ He thought while scooping up some bits of rice from the makeshift table that was made of patched up plywood.

 _I wonder what she's up to right now? I hope she didn't hold a grudge against me._ He winced after remembering the day when his daughter ran from his stead to join the fledgling Commonwealth Army; taking only with her a pair of socks and a locket which bore her mother's worn out picture.

 _I'm sorry for the things I had done in the past, but I don't want you to endure the same things I've been through before._

* * *

Mountain Province, 1937

After a day of writing down sermons; the old Russkie decided to sit by the window's edge, wondering how he could earn more income to keep up with Alisa's high school education. Twenty pesos from the villager's tithes were only enough to fill in the basic needs, let alone the tuition fee that would cost him an extra from his pocket.

"The cost of education . . . Oh Sophia, what would you do if you were on my shoes?" He sighed and turned to scribble some more random things on a piece of cardboard.

It had been years since the matriarch had passed away, but he was the type of person who can't seem to move on quite easily; spending all his nights thinking about his beloved wife while under the heavy influence of alcohol.

"It's so unfair, you left me so early." The man then thought about Alisa who closely resembled her in every way and remarked: "Even if she looks like you, that girl would never have that stubborn demeanour which spurred my heart into loving you."

 _Well, I guess the trait had transferred to Eli . . . which proves to be quite a pain in the ass._

As he drowned himself with incessant pondering, the door suddenly opened up and a young girl suddenly rushed towards him and gave a warm kiss to his cheek.

The man giggled as his daughter's warm lips touched his roughened cheek, but tried his best to mask his emotions by putting on a stern face as he always did.

"Papa . . ." Alisa cooed while pulling out something from her bag. He raised an eyebrow at his child after realizing that it was a test paper, and that the young blonde had effortlessly passed her periodic exams.

Swiping the paper away from her hand, he scanned it and when fully convinced that his daughter is not duping him at all; he gave off a very shallow smile while saying:

"Good." He then places it right beside him and continued to write on his journal. Feeling that she was being ignored, the child then clasped her hands together and excused herself to escape from her father's presence.

"P-papa . . . Please e-excuse me, I should cook some rice first." The man just stared at her and responded with a nod. The girl then slipped away into the kitchen and tried to shrug the hurt she felt from within.

 _I'm sorry Alisa, but I have to be stern in order for you to be stronger. The truth is, I love you both . . . but all I wanted is for you to grow independent and brave just like your mother._

For a moment he stole glimpses on the paper and smiled at his daughter's achievement, then returned to scribble some notes on his personal correspondence.

 _It's been a while since I've read about my dear motherland, and news about Japanese aggression scares me to the core._

His hand shook after he placed the dot, and the pen's jet black ink blotted the paper like a stream of blood flowing from a corpse. Seeing this, he lets go of it and remembered the time when he was an executioner during the early days of the revolution.

 _There are things people must do to prove their worth for a cause; but mine just happened to be the dirtiest one of all._

Before he became a respected general, Ivan Ayase once served as the captain of a death squad tasked to hunt down any "white" spies and partisans on the Siberian front.

Men, women, and even children weren't spared from his zealous rampage through the far flung frontier; the latter being slaughtered to terrorise the population into supporting their crimson cause.

He joined the Bolsheviks after a string of devastating defeats of their army during the Great War, believing that the tsar and his corrupt circle of associates were one of the reasons of their nation's fall from grace in the eyes of the world.

Not only that, for the memories of the humiliating Russo-Japanese war of 1905 was still fresh on his countrymen's mind; and the thought of the Japanese Army helping the degenerative and backward "white" forces further fuelled the flame of socialism in his heart.

His men gave him the moniker ishcheyka or the "bloodhound" due to his ruthless efficiency at tracking down the insurgents; something that had also brought him on the spotlight of a certain commander of a red cavalry unit, led by an ambitious young Bolshevik named Leon Trotsky.

There, he had made a connection to the party's top brass due to this man's influence; which in the end he'll greatly benefit from when the revolution will be won in favour of the soviets.

 _The small things that occur in our lives . . . the very insignificant random few, turned out to be the ones responsible for shaping the person I am right now; a soldier who fought for a cause deemed right, and ended up remorseful in the end._

Then as he was delving deeper into his melancholic recollections; he felt something warm touch his arm, then turned around and saw the dainty girl placing a plate full of steamy hot rice with a side dish of dried fish and a small bowl of soup right beside it.

Alisa then stepped back out of fear of his grimacing guise, and cooed: "I did my best for that Papa, p-please enjoy."

The girl's frail yet soothing voice melted the heart of the former executioner who then stroked her golden locks that reminded him of his one true love.

"Thank you." He then swept the stationeries aside and proceeded to slurp the fuming broth with a spoon; but then stopped when he realized that the soup was just too bland to begin with.

 _I sense something really strange about the way my child was acting these past few days._

The patriarch then puts the spoon down and remarked about the soup, stating: "Alisa, is there something you need to tell me aside from the fact that you aced an exam?"

He then glared down on her like a hawk eyeing a potential prey; causing the young girl to shudder from sheer terror that brewed from within her heart.

"I could easily discern a person's emotion from the way they cook. And I had observed that the soup you've prepared for me is getting blander by the day." Trying to demand a confession, the former soviet general slammed his callous hand on the table; spilling all the plate's contents onto the earthen floor.

"If there's one thing I hate most all . . . It is the thought that my daughters would hide something from me!" The frail Ayase sibling tried to keep her mouth shut, when he suddenly strode forward to face her squarely; a tactic which effectively broke the girl's resolve to withhold her secrets from the fuming patriarch.

When it comes to guts, Alisa is way out of the league than her elder sister who seemed to be very capable of standing her ground once Ivan erupts into a fit of rage; a trait which the latter concurred after his wife's death, and the little girl couldn't feel but think that her father blamed her for being born in the first place.

But in reality, he loves the two of them . . . the only thing that's stopping him was the trauma he had experienced due to his soviet past.

Because of the looming terror that swept her mind, Alisa wept in front of him; all the while spilling everything she tried to hide from the strict disciplinarian all this time.

"I'm sorry Papa! The truth is . . ." She bit her lip for a while and swallowed her fears then continued on, "I dropped out from school." The blonde then hung her head from shame and braced herself for the incoming barrage of slurs and a slap which came like a jolt of lighting which numbed her cheeks.

The impact sent the young girl careening through the living room towards the bamboo bench; her left cheek was swollen red from the harsh treatment she took from her own flesh and blood.

Ivan wasn't the type of guy that shrugs off any kind of fault; sure he is a minister who pledged to be an exemplar of anything good, but he's still a father who worked his back off under the glare of the merciless sun and sleepless nights to prepare his Sunday masses just to earn some cash to feed them for a day.

This was clearly an ungrateful act in the part of Alisa and her sister, who was also causing problems to this man who was now yelling at the top of his low, booming voice.

"I worked hard for the money to send your butts into school, and this is what I get?! A high school drop-out and another one that is a problem child?!" His blue eyes glared right through Alisa's own, and gave him a visage like that of a lion due to his golden mane and goatee.

What followed was one of the events which scarred the young girl for life as she was mercilessly whipped by her father who had already lost control due to his temper.

"I-I'm sorry Papa . . . But . . ." She tried to explain further, but then the man takes his belt off and lashes it across her back; making the former squeal as the leather cracked like a whip against the thin flaxen cloth.

"I DON'T NEED TO HEAR ANY OF YOUR SILLY EXCUSES!" Followed by another crack against her thigh.

"Uwaaaahhhhh! Please, I'm sorry! Kyaaaaah!" Her voice was almost sapped out of her throat because of the searing pain she felt, but Ivan was blinded by rage that he relentlessly beats her over and over again until the girl was writhing on the bench like a snake.

By then, the villagers heard her desperate cries but can't do anything to help; for they understood that it was just normal to beat your children to a pulp during those days, some even hung them upside down on a tree and beaten while others were forced to kneel against a cluster of salt or dried outside like fish under the sun.

This was the type of discipline that their generation underwent; it may be termed child abuse nowadays, but it sure did its job by instilling fear of disobedience into their children's hearts.

"YOU STUPID PIECE OF . . ." He was abruptly stopped from beating Alisa when he felt something cold holding onto the wrist that held the belt; followed by an eerie chill which ran down his spine, a feeling which had finally snapped him out of anger's blinding zeal.

"Ivan, Enough. Our child had already taken the point. Please, don't hurt her any further." A voice whispered on his ear, and the man can't help but shed a tear for he clearly felt his wife's warm breath rubbing against his skin.

 _Sophia . . ._

Ivan then looked at his child who that was soaked from perspiration and tears, curling up like a person who lingered near the brink of death.

He puts the leather down and immediately caressed the girl which really did resemble his first love; stroking her hair while apologizing for his blinding fit of rage a while ago.

"I'm sorry, Alisa . . . Papa almost forgot that you are weak at heart." The patriarch then gave a hearty embrace on his daughter's trembling body; trying to solicit a response from the latter while rubbing her back.

"I . . . I was so selfish t-to just w-waste your s-sacrifice P-papa . . ." She responded with a very frail tone.

"But why? Why did you drop out? You are gaining good grades there, I . . . I am sure that the staff wouldn't have the guts to expel you. . ."

"Bullying . . . T-they c-called me names, h-hid my t-things . . . I-I was a f-freak t-they said . . . and, I-I can't stand it any-more . . ." Hearing his daughter's stuttering voice crushed his heart to tears, then hushed her down by placing a finger over her lip.

"I thought you had already gotten used to it. This is not our homeland, and people sure do look down on us just because we are different Alisa . . ."

"B-but . . . that's j-just one of t-the reasons why I was d-dropped . . ." the young blonde paused for a while to gather her strength and carried on, "I c-confronted them, a-and ended up hurting one o-of my tormentors . . . w-which h-happened to be t-the m-mayor's n-niece."

And as soon as she finished the sentence, Alisa collapsed on his broad shoulders; while Ivan cannot seem to comprehend why people could be so judgemental all because of their skin or features.

 _It had never occurred to me that I judged people based on their race . . . it was only by their beliefs that I sent them to their deaths._

He then carried his daughter's limp body and laid it down on the comfort of her bed that was devoid of mattresses but was draped instead by a mat made of woven buri leaves.

 _I guess our lives here on the tropics won't be so peaceful after all._ He thought while tucking Alisa under a woollen blanket; then left the room to write the event down on his worn out correspondence.

"Sophia . . . thanks for snapping me out of that fit of rage or I had ended up killing one of our daughters." He mumbled while uncapping the fountain pen which inexplicably spurted its ink on his face.

"Kakogo cherta?" (What the hell?) The man then scrambled towards the backyard where the hand pump was to be found; but ended up slipping near the kitchen area and planted his face on the ground.

"Sukin syn!"(Son of a bitch!) He cussed while trying to regain his footing amidst the pain that rang on his face. But before he could completely stand on his own two feet, he saw an apparition which streamed past the corner of his eye; its silky blue dress visible through the bamboo slits of their hut.

He then tried to follow where it went by rushing outside, but it had disappeared into thin air; making him shudder in fear as well.

It was getting dark, and the dying rays of the sun tried to pierce through the veil of the night which slowly engulfed the land with its mesmerizing shade of black.

While his neighbours were still busy tending to the fields below, and he was the only guy left on the village; together with some seniors that were already on their deathbeds.

"Pfft . . . I don't believe in such bullshit like ghosts." Ivan then spat on the ground, putting on his tough face that scared the living daylights out of his own daughters and proceeded to pump up some water for cleaning up.

"You're still quite a potty mouth after all these years my dear." A gentle female voice spoke up right behind the hulking Russian which suddenly gave him a very bad case of goose bumps.

"S-sophia? P-please, I . . ." He then felt a finger running through the entirety of his shoulders, which froze him out of sheer terror.

"Who else could call you by that name?" The spirit then held onto his cheeks and forced him to face her; but gave out a sigh when she saw her husband closing his eyes while mumbling a prayer.

"Come on! Don't you miss me at all?" She cried out of exasperation.

"I don't want to look at your face; it might be very hideous right now!" He retorts, then continued on to repeat his orations.

The spirit then rolled her eyes and held onto her beloved's wrist and said, "Okay, fine. But you are not going to keep up with that act for long!" Pursing her lips, the matriarch then puts his hand on her chest; and was followed by another one with a very succinct chuckle coming from the man of her life.

"Y-you're . . . still beautiful." He stammered, and locked eyes with the apparition of his wife; but Ivan's already had a film of tears over it, prompting the ghost to wipe it off with her cold, pale hands.

" It has been a while since I touched your skin!" He beamed, but the fair maiden suddenly gave him a hearty slap on his cheeks and scowls:

"You look like an old fart, what have you been eating all these years?! And the smell of liquor still hung onto your clothes like a leech!"

The man groaned from his wife's barrage of insults and bitterly retorts: "We had just met, and those are the only things you could possibly tell me?"

Sophia crossed her arms like she had always done during her past life, a pose which Ivan had missed so dearly.

"And next time, try hearing our kid's side first! Do not let that thick skull of yours dictate your actions!" She then repeatedly poked the man's forehead that bobbed with each successive strike.

"Okay, okay! I get it! But . . . I worked hard for the money just to send them off! If you were still alive, I know you'll do the same!"

"But not to the point of beating her into a useless pulp you twit!" She then slaps him back his wits once more.

"What the hell is wrong with you woman?! My face is already sore!" He roared, but was once again silenced by another resounding slap.

"Serves you right, numbskull." She mumbled while crossing her arms once more to assert her authority over the former general.

"Suka." (Russian for: Bitch.) He then covered his mouth and gave off a smirk.

"I could clearly hear you from here you old fart." Sophia retaliated.

The man then leaned in closer to his wife's radiant face and beamed, "What are you going to do about it you crazy hag?"

She then wets a handkerchief on the pump's nozzle and wiped it off on Ivan's face, leaning towards him while wearing that playful grin which made the man's heart skip a beat.

"This."

Their lips then locked once more after years of missing each other; and the man couldn't hide the bliss he felt from their fateful reunion and wrapped his arms around her slender waist.

Then after a moment of feeling each other's warmth, Sophia separated from her husband's embrace and tried to bid her final farewell to the man who still had an inkling of love within his heart even if her time had already passed.

"Ivan, I'm sorry . . . But it's time for the full moon to rise upon this land." Puzzled, he held onto her cold yet delicate hands and tried to stop her from leaving when the moon's phosphorescent light shone down her right shoulder; causing it to become tiny beads of light which was gently carried away by the wind towards the west, to the place where her grave is to be found.

"No . . . Please, don't leave me again! I beg you . . ." He pleaded, but the woman shook her head and tried to comfort her man by giving him one last kiss on the forehead.

"I'm already dead . . . And it was a fine privilege that I was able to reach out for you in the flesh once more." With that sung, her spirit dissipated into the darkness of the night; its radiant beads shone through like fireflies which slowly snaked its way towards sentinel hill.

But before it completely vanished from his sight, it muttered the final words he'll ever hear from his wife: "But don't worry; for I will always look down on you and our children. . . I love you, and will always be even if I'm already on the other side."

Ivan kneeled on the ground; sobbing in agony because of the void that was left after her passing, gritting his teeth as an outburst of sour tears gushed down his reddened cheeks.

"It's unfair . . . How come bad people like me remain to live on this earth? She didn't deserve to die at all. . . why?" he then felt a hand tapping on his shoulder, and the befuddled man looked up and saw that it was Alisa; looking at him with pity set on her sapphire orbs.

"Papa. . . Please don't stay out this long, or you'll get sick." She then held onto his shoulders and helped him up; the two then staggered back to the house to prepare for dinner right before Eli would return from school.

"Alisa . . ." He muttered, earning a succinct moan from the blonde.

"Hmm? What is it Papa?"

"I'm sorry." The patriarch then looked down in shame but was caught off guard when Alisa suddenly rubbed her cheeks against his.

"It was my fault anyway, I shouldn't have let my emotions run over me back there." She then settled her father down on the bamboo bench and proceeded to make a cup of coffee which she bought from the town's market.

The man just smiled at his daughter's meekness amidst the hurt she went through; then looked out of the window to see the dull full moon shining down on them like his wife had promised to.

 _Sophia . . . I think I'll never be alone then, for Alisa is here to fill your place. She's just like you . . . a very kind, meek, yet caring young lady who'll always stays by my side during my darkest times._

He then lets out a sigh and saw a pair of leather shoes that was misplaced under his seat.

 _Great, I believe this is Eli's . . . Damn it, that girl only got your stubbornness and the rest came from me._

Like a thoughtful father he was, he painstakingly kneeled down and picked it up; then goes to her bedroom only to find out that some of her things were scattered as well.

 _These chores never grow old._

Ivan rolled his eyes then started to fold the bunch of crumpled clothes lying on the blonde's mat; then neatly placed it back into its chest, taking great care that it wouldn't be dirtied during its transit.

"Man, she already has a boyfriend but can't even manage to keep her things in one place. . . Oh, the irony." And as he mumbled like a grumpy old man, something had suddenly caught his eye; it was a small piece of paper sticking out underneath the chest.

Curious, he immediately moved it over and saw newspaper clips and some posters which depicted a soldier that wore the uniform of the commonwealth army.

He then picked it up and read its contents which said:

Many heeded the call, but few were chosen. . . Are you one of the select few?

Then as if by instinct, he grabbed another sheet that lay right next to it; and now, his anger was re ignited once more after he read its dire contents.

"No . . ." His voice was filled to the brim with spite when he realized that it was her school's notice of expulsion for failing to attend her classes for an entire month.

"That stupid . . . Bitch." He then returned the chest once more and sat by it in defeat, waiting for his daughter to sneak by the window of her room.

 _Where did I go wrong? I did my very best in rearing them up to become good citizens of this land. . . But instead, they gave me headaches and a load's worth of pain. . ._

His face was flushed all throughout; while the veins of his arms shone through in response to his outraged temperament.

"Why . . . What have I done to deserve this?" Ivan cried while ruffling his hair from outright disappointment.

Then just as he was about to scream on top of his lungs; a figure suddenly snuck through the sliding window, carrying with it a backpack that was the same size as his daughter's.

"Phew, thank goodness . . . A few more days to go and recruitment will finally start."

"When is it then?" He then glared towards the shadow which turned out to be Eli; her face now paling in fright after seeing the lion like guise of her father.

He then clenched his fist in an attempt to control his rage, his knuckles crackling from the force that he exerts; making the blonde realize that angering this old missionary was never a good idea right from the start.

"I found this under your stuff . . . I hope you'll assure me that this was just some kind of very sick joke . . . For I am utterly confused by this." He then pushed the paper towards his daughter's chest, causing her to wheeze.

Meanwhile, Alisa had just finished boiling some water and was about to pour it to the powdered brew when he heard his father's voice changing once more to that of a raging demon. She hurriedly rushed towards the source of the commotion but hid behind the doorway; afraid that the raging bull would lash out to her once more.

Eli stood at attention even if her father glared down on her like a bird of prey; something which the sibling admired about her sister who always shown an iron will at the face of adversity.

"I did my best to fulfill my promise to your mother, but what do I get in return?! A drop out and now a wannabe digger?!" He then averted his gaze towards the doorway where Alisa was poking her head; and continued on.

"Do you even think of the sacrifices I make before making such reckless decisions on your lives?! Maybe you just thought that I was just lying down under a guava tree and wait for its fruit to fall onto my mouth, which is never the case!" He then leaned in closer to lock eyes with the adamant blonde who never flinched nor blink during the ordeal.

Ivan then paused for a while to breathe away his hatred when Eli finally spoke up to defend herself.

"I'm sorry if I rebelled against your wishes Papa, but I never felt a hint of joy when you forced me into the college of theology." Hearing this, he then gave off a sarcastic laugh and retorts,

"So now I'm the one who's at fault? Is it wrong to look over your welfare? You are my own flesh and blood, and I didn't even realize that my own children will be the ones who will tarnish my reputation on this village!"

"But forcing things onto others is wrong, and had you even considered our feelings?" Her domineering tone still shone through in the midst of his fit of fuming rage.

"I had invested for your future Eli! But you still chose a very hard one which I doubt you'll pass! You don't even know how to manage your things, yet alone spending half of your miserable life on this . . . this lame excuse for an army?!" The man then clamped his hands against the blonde's robust shoulders and continued on with his incessant ranting.

"What other kind shitty propaganda had you been cramming into your mind lately? Hmm? Let me guess, that this country would gain its independence?! Is that it?!"

The girl was clearly hurt from the insults she got from him, but still maintained that cool steely gaze which never faltered under a barrage of harsh words unleashed by this ex-death squad officer who saw the horrors of war first hand.

Gathering her guts, she then replied to her father's rant: "This was my dream from the beginning Papa, to become a soldier for a country which gave us a place to stay."

"I hope that you had never forgotten that people here are racists! Look at your sister, a victim of spiteful Filipinos with no one else to bully!" He then pointed out towards Alisa who was now crying from the harsh exchange of words coming from him.

"To tell you the truth, I had experienced it myself. But does that mean that we should turn our backs on them just because they are insecure of the colour of their skin? We have to be better than that, and I am sorely disappointed that of all people; you are the one who tries to incite hatred against our fellow men. . ."

"Tell that to your tormentors you idiot! And don't try to act smart around here then boss me around! I am your father you selfish wench, and I am the one that feeds you and cleans whatever sort of shit you leave on this household!"

"Papa . . . please, stop." Alisa pleads, but was ignored when the man suddenly blurts out: "My decision is final! You are not going to join the Army! It's whether you re enrol or get the hell out of here!"

But in the end; the feisty blonde retorts, while her eyes were now on the verge of tears after hearing her father's wish of crushing her dreams.

"Why are you so mean towards me Papa? Is it wrong to serve a country which you were born . . ." Soon, memories came flooding from the Russian civil war which almost robbed him of his conscience; giving a glimpse of his past life as a fanatic Bolshevik, walking at a snowy ditch filled with corpses of people who knew nothing of the cause he fought for.

"A place where you had gained your consciousness together with the people you hold dear . . ." Ivan gritted his teeth at his daughter's words, delving him deeper into his past as he gave off a sadistic smile when crows swooped down onto the fallen and feasted on their flesh and blood.

 _Stop . . ._

"A land which gave us refuge at our greatest time of need and without any hint of hesitation . . ." He then saw a child writhing on her mother's arm while crying out "Mama, mama . . . please don't leave me. . ."

Picking a revolver from its holster; the man now known as Tatang Russo walked towards the helpless tot and aimed it on her bloodied forehead, his ice cold glare looking through his victim with not a single hint of remorse.

"Enough . . ." He murmured.

"How could you live with yourself? I can't believe I called someone like you as my father! For it turned out that you are nothing more than a coward who used my mother's death as an excuse to rid yourself of your sanity and rot with each passing day!" His pupils suddenly shrunk when the child's guise suddenly changed to that of Eli's, crying down streams of tears from her puffy sapphire orbs.

"You took them away from me . . . what did they do wrong to you?" the child's frail voice tried to reach out to his heart of stone; but he cocked the hammer and slowly squeezed the trigger to end her torment.

"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" He then gave Eli a resounding slap which echoed through the room; causing the poor blonde to hit her head against the wall.

And at the same time it happened; the gun went off and sent the child to an early grave, the sight of its glaring blue orbs was something which had given him nightmares long after the war had ended and the Soviet Union born from its ashes.

"Ate!"(Big sis!) Alisa then rushed to her sister's side, whose mouth bled heavily from the sheer force of the blow; while Ivan just stood there, dazed and out of his wits.

 _If you only knew of my past; then you will realize why I tried to stop you from following your dreams._

After seeing his daughter lying on the cold earthen floor; he looked to his hand that was tainted with the blood of his daughter, further intensifying the guilt which plagued his heart up to this day.

 _What have I done?_ He thought as Alisa caressed her beloved sister who was on the verge of passing out; and tried to reach out but was immediately stopped by the latter who tried to remind him of his deed.

"Y-you had d-done enough Papa, p-please leave us alone." She then buried her face on Eli's chest, but her cries of torment never ceased and the man couldn't do anything but walk away and drowned his sorrows with each bitter shot of liquor and smoke.

And the night after that heated argument, Eli ran away; leaving Alisa to fetch him from the chief's house while bringing with her a quilted blanket which her sister had painstakingly sewn together before heading out.

He can't believe his eyes as the cloth was draped around his haggard guise; for it had shown that the siblings still cared for him, no matter how much they were hurt due to his guilt ridden rage.

A small act which slowly thawed this old veteran's heart to feel its radiant warmth once more.

* * *

"Ivan, Hey! Wake up!" the man was then awakened from his slumber by the chief; while his lackeys were right behind him, also sharing that concerned look by their boss.

"W-what? H-how long was I asleep?" He murmured then sat up and scratched his head.

"It's already nine! What the hell! I thought you were dead!" Ivan then supported himself by the coconut's trunk and asked, "Don't tell me that you idiots didn't leave my side while I was dozing off?" which was replied by a nod from his friend.

"Of course! You know how dangerous this place is once darkness falls, if the bandits won't get you . . . I bet ghouls would!" the Russian then shrugged off the man's words and limped back to the village that was already dimming its lights as the people prepared to call it a day.

"Is this the thanks I get? Being left alone by the person which we protected with our lives?!" the group then tried to catch up with him while he jests, "If ghouls do exist, the first thing they'll eat are noisy guys like you chief!" followed by sarcastic laughter.

They then straggled their way under the guidance of the moon's illustrious beam, while the solemn call of a lowly cricket is the only thing which gave them a sense of solitude on their way home.

But as they trudged through the open field, a large shadow loomed and covered its entirety; catching their attention as they looked up above and saw the silhouette of an entire squadron of twin engine bombers flying in loose formation, escorted by smaller ones that hummed like mosquitoes that were about to strike an unlucky target.

The captain and his men sensed that something's not right, and immediately ran back to the village to warn the others; while Ivan remained, his blue eyes focusing on its wing where the moon illuminated its signature crimson sun.

 _I can't believe that Yamato would make a bold move on this land._

Moments later, the cries of the wailing sirens coming from Clark airfield sounded off; followed by thunderous blasts which burned brightly among the backdrop of darkness.

A myriad of searchlights then beamed through the blotted sky, followed by bullets which looked like fireflies in mid flight.

The villagers just looked on at the dazzling spectacle of lights unfolding right before their eyes, but deep inside; their hearts were slowly devoured by the looming jaws of terror.

 _Is there going to be another war that will ravage our land?_ That is the sole question which rang on their minds.


	4. A Tell Tale Heart Part One

_A/N: Hi! It's been a while . . . hehe, sorry about that. :(_

 _Disclaimer: I do not own anything, except this random page of scribbles. ^^ Feel free to correct me, because I am still a newbie at writing._

* * *

 _As the attack unfolded during the early hours of December the eighth, Mac Arthur and his staff were already at the edge of their seats anticipating any sort of backhanded attack on Luzon long before the President had learnt about the gruesome endeavour of the Empire of Japan._

 _Together with his staff, he spent the daybreak hours formulating plans against the impending assault which may follow due to reports that the Formosa garrison was mobilizing six days before, and had just left the panic room to get a whiff of fresh air when he saw the mumbling duo strolling down the hallway._

 _With a slight hint of cleverness, he duped the two into believing that the wine that they're going to buy was destined for his belly; but was in fact a vessel for a hidden message that was to be passed on by his trusted agents residing on the immigrant's haven of Binondo._

 _The two accepted it without a shadow of a doubt and had now finally reached the decadent streets of Manila; one discovering the city's true colours behind its surreal mask, while the other revisits a link to_ _her oriental past._

 **Chapter 4: A Tell Tale Heart**

As the foggy horizon finally clears up under the glare of the sun kissed sky, the naive young blonde can't shake the feeling of happiness as finally a domineering silhouette of towering steel and concrete spires presented itself in front of her weary eyes, a glimpse of a world far from the sleepy rural setting where she had grown up and became accustomed to.

 _Finally . . ._

Together with her best friend who seemed to be quite aloof as always; Eli climbed up its railings and opened her arms, as if to embrace the entirety of the place which her kinsfolk dubbed: the Golden City.

"At last! I could finally see Manila with my own eyes!" She exclaimed as excitement crept into her chest like a drug while giggling out like an innocent lass as the sultry sea breeze numbed her wits.

Meanwhile, Maki was standing beside the hyped up superior; checking her fingernails for any traces of dirt while putting on a very bland stare as she always did. Seeing this, Eli took the initiative and tried wipe that disdainful jowl; but to no avail.

"Maki, can't you even smile for just a second?" She turned to confront the redhead who just turned away with a scowl, "Can you act more appropriately according to your rank? You're making me look bad."

 _Look bad eh? We'll see about that._ The blonde thought while hiding an insidious grin under her hand, then stepped down and gave the sergeant a hearty slap in the ass; earning a very irritated response from the latter whose cheeks were getting redder by the second.

"What the hell is wrong with you?!" Maki roared as she tried to return the favour but ended up chasing the blonde through its mossy deck.

"Catch me if you can granny!"

"You're going to get it alright!" They then ran like the little girls they once were, with the latter's frown finally replaced by a shallow yet satisfied smile.

 _You're very childish and innocent for an officer, Eli. . . And I sure do find it fun hanging out with you._

As the two were frolicking around, the barge entered Manila's bustling harbour; teeming with people from all corners of the scattered archipelago which carried with them their woven "buri" bags together with their offspring who shared the same goal of having a better life in the city of dreams.

A myriad of people with different stories, and left over lives; all in the same place for a common goal, something which was also shared by this young Chinese kid whose life was forever changed during that fateful day when her city fell.

But there was something which she could never deny, that if it wasn't for her parent's tragic passing; she will never come to realize the value of having a true friend by her side.

She may had have a few during her growing years in Shanghai, but the young Nishikino lass just viewed them only as mere strangers that would leave her when the going gets rough; and yes, they did . . . for when she was on the run for her life, they left her right into the jaws of death.

Then it all changed after she met this Russian gal who only loved to follow what her heart told her to do; unlike hers which longed to settle a score against the one who broke her wings. But there was something else which Eli taught her, and it was to leave the past behind then make the most of what they have right now.

 _Eli . . . I would like to tell you something, but couldn't find the right words to say it._

And as their innocent cackles reverberated through the sultry morning breeze, their barge streamed between walls of sandstone blocks where towering warehouses stood by, hiding its wares behind its heavy rust laced gates; while the waterline kept its record of previous ebbs and flows from the rows of sage green ferns and draped up moss.

Little by little, they were closing in to its bench lined pier; and were greeted by something which made their heart fizzle from sheer excitement as skyline pigeons flew by and cooed their welcome tunes, coupled by the peculiar beat of jazz music from its boardwalk bars.

Eli then stopped from their friendly game of tag and lent her ears in listening to its lively jive; while Maki did the same, but breathed out a sigh of relief and thought: _I am home at last._

And with a sharp blow of a whistle and a haggard sea dog's voice, their trip ended as the dock monkeys helped the brawny boatswain lower the plank while the skipper announced: "Welcome to Manila, a place where fortune only favours the bold! Secure your things accordingly, for my company won't pay for such losses . . . and thank you for riding with us."

Then after he finished his speech, he retired to his cabin and listen to the radio for his favourite soap opera; while a dozen passengers dared to cross the unstable board which separated them from the sea, for the thought of striking it rich in this land of opportunity is a lot more worth than a gallon of saltwater.

Soon, it was the duo's turn to walk the plank; but Lt. Ayase remembered about their little chatter a while ago and said: "Ms. Tour guide, can you please lead the way for me? I think I don't know my way around here." Then looked around to pretend that she was lost and all.

"O-okay then . . . Just wait for me to cross over before you do." She then took a deep breath and vowed to never look down the seemingly calm waters below; taking good care not to slip either, for even the board was contaminated by patches of moss.

 _Seriously, how old is this ship anyway?_

Then at last she had successfully took her pace and beckoned for her friend to follow; and yes, follow she did . . . but ended up looking like a circus clown trying to perform a tightrope act, waving her arms like mad just to maintain her footing on the 2x2 plank.

"Eli! Don't look down! Just look at me and you'll be fine!" Maki called out, and the blonde stared at her like a cat in peril; causing her to look away and giggle.

"Maki! This is not funny anymore!" then as she was halfway through, a chilly gust of wind touched her nape and made her look down to the waters below.

Because of her background living on the mountains, Eli wasn't really accustomed at seeing vast expanses of water; and while she was crossing through Bataan towards Corregidor, she just slept along the way and walked conveniently down a flight of stairs, for the ship was some kind of overland ferry . . . not a fishing trawler sidelining as one.

 _Those ripples . . . wait . . . what's happening?_ Eli's body soon felt as light as a feather as she was glaring into the cascading ripples below, sending her into a hypnotic trance because of it.

"Damn it." the sergeant cursed when she saw her friend leaning towards the left and immediately bolts into action; grabbing the damsel by the hand and pulling her into the safety of the pier. But in the middle of doing so, they both tumbled with Maki above her superior who's still felt the world is going around at a feverish pace.

 _What the?_

Then at this really awkward moment, the random chatters and joyful crescendos became a very distant blur as Maki stared into Eli's radiant face and admired her features which are a far cry from her own.

 _A goddess indeed . . . No wonder she's called the belle of fort Mills._

She then took the opportunity to fondle her golden locks when a very sweet scent tickled her senses. _Raspberry . . . she really does know her stuff._ And felt very weird and thought something really lewd to do with her friend when the blonde suddenly spoiled the moment by a very ticked off innuendo

"What do you think you're doing? Get off me."

"S-sorry!" Maki curtly excused herself as she stood up, her cheeks flushed from sheer embarrassment while the lieutenant rubbed her nape and tried to discern what happened during her descent.

 _I clearly felt a cold hand wiping off me . . . Mama? Is that you?_ Eli then turned her attention towards the blushing sergeant and tried to reprimand her for what she has done.

"Is there something about my hair that you were trying to know sergeant?" the lieutenant inquired while putting on a domineering pose; placing her hands by the waist while tapping on the floor.

Trying to find an alibi, she just tried to play it cool and retorts: "I was just curious at what kind of shampoo you were using . . . for it's so soft and vibrant even after an hour." Then looked away and twirled a lock of her hair.

"I just use the standard issue . . . that's all."

 _Heh, fooled you._ Maki breathed out a sigh of relief and tried to divert the blonde's attention towards their trip.

"Anyway, let's grab something to eat."

Hearing this, Eli's discerning gaze was suddenly replaced by that of glee; making the redhead think that she could easily manipulate her friend's optimistic attitude with much ease . . .

But she was terribly wrong.

"Khorosho!" Eli beamed as she focused her blue eyes upon a kettle which spewed forth swabs of caramel corn; putting her face dangerously close to its heated glass to see the blue tongue of fire that caused the reaction to start in earnest.

 _So this is how it's made? Wow!_

"Ma'am, stay away from the glass." The vendor warned, and Maki approached to stand guard just in case the curious cat singes her eyebrows from the heat.

"Is she your friend ma'am?" The bewildered vendor asked the redhead who immediately quipped: "I don't know her." followed by a sigh.

The blonde then picked some quarters from her pocket and bought herself a paper bag full of the puffy treat, which the man accepted accordingly with a grin and gnawed a fistful of it right on the redhead's gloomy face.

"Eli, you never cease to disgust me." Maki jeered at her friend who was staring at as if taunting her to give into the temptation of buying one.

"Gee, just tell me if you want some." The blonde then offered some to her friend who just diverted its gaze and pretended that she didn't exist.

 _Oh boo, you're so mean._

The two then took a delightful stroll through the pier's scenic boardwalk that was full of people from all walks of life; scanning by shops which displayed their eloquent merchandise for all to see . . . Including the curious blonde who dashed towards a stall filled with adorable stuffed cubs of different colours.

"Wow, look at all these bears! I always wanted one of these!" She mused while sniffing a yellow one wearing a blue ribbon on its chest, and ought to buy another one for her friend who seemed to be aloof at the moment; exploring the fair by herself.

 _Maki needs something to cheer her up!_

Eli then picked a white one from the batch that had a red ribbon on its chest and giggled at its stark resemblance to Maki whose skin was sort of pale and has this fiery tuft of hair to top it off.

 _Seems legit . . ._ She thought while comparing it to her friend who stood at a distance; seemingly unaware that she's been made fun of by the blonde.

"That's the cutest one in the entire batch!" the vendor exclaimed, by which the lieutenant chuckled in agreement.

"It sure does!"

He then shook his head and pointed to the yellow one and said: "I meant the one which sort of looks like you."

Hearing this, Eli couldn't help but blush from his statement and stared at the cub's beady eyes; mesmerized by its semblance to hers which was icy with a hint of sapphire blue.

"And its fur also matches your hair, beautiful and full of life." It was just a sort of flattery by which everyone should've shrugged off and laughed about, but it sure did convinced the gullible blonde to buy the pair at twenty cents apiece.

Meanwhile, Maki was staring at something which reminded the lass of her beloved hometown; a food which sort of distinguishes its identity from the rest which origins were from the west.

 _Someday, If the world is at peace; I want to return to the place where I was born and raised._ The redhead grimaced as she watched the pork buns being steaming on its pot.

"How much for it?" She snarled, and the vendor replied "five cents apiece." Maki then pulled off her wallet and opened it up when she saw a picture of her former landlady that had a son who happened to be father's friend.

 _I think I should Ah Mah a visit as well, for It's been a while since I've returned here . . ._ the redhead thought as she took five centavos from it.

"I'll take five please."

Pulling out a thong, the man opened the pot to reveal the supple pearly white skin of the steamed pork buns and placed it accordingly into a paper bag; making the satisfied young lass smile for a bit as he gently rests it on her palm.

"Thank you." She then turned around and saw her Russian friend cradling two cubs on her arm.

"Maki! I bought one for you too!" Eli mused as she presented the white one to the redhead whose eyes widened from fright.

"Come on, it's harmless . . . look at it, it just needs a little hug." Her superior chimed as she nudged the cub to her friend, but the redhead turned away and suddenly retorts with a very low voice.

"Get that thing away from me." She then left the scene, leaving Eli to wonder:

 _Maki . . . I was just trying to make you smile._

Meanwhile, Maki was also deep in her thoughts; staring at a pork bun in her hand which also bore a small red dot on its crown.

 _You just don't know what I've been through Eli . . . and you still have the guts to insult me about it._

 _Meanwhile in Corregidor- minus five hours since pearl._

"God damn it! What do you mean our planes can't strike Formosa?!" the general slams his fist on the table as the staff informed him of the situation concerning the Far East Air Force.

"Sir, our airforces is under equipped and most are still in repairs."

"Most? That means there are some left in pristine condition!" He snarled back.

"And most of our aircrews are on leave, for its going to be Christmas real soon." Another one explained, but was met by the furious general who stared at him with belittlement set on his eyes.

"Well? Aren't they your men? Go call them back!" the man then nodded and exited the room to send a radio dispatch to the commanders of the respective bases to call for their men.

Then in hopes of relieving his stress, he took a whiff from his pipe while looking at the map of Manila and the underlying provinces of Pampanga, Zambales, Tarlac, Bulacan, Aurora and Nueva Ecija spread across the table; trying to formulate a plan which could surely hinder the expected Japanese onslaught that could follow the nefarious sucker punch against their navy.

He then turned his attention towards the northernmost part of the map on the area which was known as the Cordilleras; a mountainous part of Luzon which comprises its crown and bordered by the twin provinces of Ilocos to the west, and Isabela on its east.

"Wainwright, what's the situation of the first Philippine Division?"

The man only known as "skinny" responds: "They're still fighting separatists near Baguio sir.

"Good, pull them out immediately . . ." He then released a puff of smoke and continued on, "Let the rebels bear their onslaught first." Then something also caught his eye, a small grey line which snakes its way from the Mountain Province, Tarlac, and heads directly towards Manila.

"Oh, and assign some of your men to blow the bridges once you hear reports of their initial landings . . . For I will deliberately leave the northernmost provinces open for their advance." The wily general then skimmed his finger towards Tarlac and directs Wainwright's men and the others who were also commanders of their respective divisions.

"I will appoint you as the head of Northern Luzon Command, and you will set your defensive perimeters on the central plains to hinder their advance as King re-organizes the troops in Bataan for a counterattack."

"What about the east sir? Albay could be one of the more suitable point of entry for it undermines the rear of our main defence force." A staff inquired, and was once more answered by the general whose confident of his plans to work.

"The combined forces of the 5th and 6th Divisions should be enough to repel them."

Then a lieutenant entered the room with a report which made the old man cringe together with the staff who were as depraved of sleep just like him.

"Sir, they had already started their assault against Malaya, as the Central Army renewed the ferocity of their attacks on China. . . Wake Island had been bombed by the same bastards who attacked pearl, while Singapore and Dutch East Indies are bombarded relentlessly from the sea and air."

"God damn it, those Japs never cease to amuse me." The general cussed as he emptied the pipe's smouldering ashes on a small tray; while the rest of the staff just looked at each other and discussed the possible course of action to bolster the nation's defences.

"I have more than a hundred thousand men under my disposal . . . Yet I'm here, thinking of a way to prevent them from planting their feet on this piece of land." He paused while putting another batch of shredded tobacco on its bowl.

"I only hope those kids would get what I need before their guns would blaze over the islands." Mac Arthur then lights it up with a match and watched as the smoke slowly dissipates into thin air.

* * *

"Maki, what is this place?" the blonde inquired as the tram made its way through rows of bare brick apartments where people with less flashier clothes resides; while a thick stench of rotting foodstuffs wafted through the air and made her stomach churn.

"This is Tondo, a place where those who are in the bottom half of this metropolis resides. . ." She then looked to her superior who still carried the bears on her arms and snarled: "Are you really going to carry those things with you?"

"Of course. . . I've always wanted one of these." Eli mused as she buried her face into the yellow one and moaned from its fragrant talcum scent.

She then tried once more to let Maki get a whiff of the white one which bore the red ribbon and got the same result: the sergeant distanced herself and tried to divert her attention with a few titbits about the city she lived in.

"Look at the old building right there, that's the municipal hall." The redhead pointed out to a towering structure which had Greek style Corinthian pillars upholding a roof and dome construction; bordered by a garden which glared evergreen where crowds gathered from all around for a picnic and to make a wish upon its fountain which also served as its centrepiece.

But little did this immigrant know that Eli is trying to get into the bottom of her reaction; and successfully puts up a facade by looking at the sergeant with sheer interest while nodding like a dumb blonde.

 _There's something about this bear which makes her jittery all of a sudden . . . But I don't know what._ She thought as Maki paused to think of something else to share; but then she heard solemn chimes of mourning bells in the distance, calling for all the people in town to pay their respects for another fallen soul.

She then got a glimpse as the tram strolled past an old cathedral, whose sandstone spires reached the heavens like an arm raised to plead for mercy as another took its journey to the afterlife; while rows of various saints of ages past stood still on their grottos, as if muttering a silent prayer for those who had already passed on.

Out of respect, all of the passengers took their caps off; and paused for a moment of silence as the casket was paraded by its relatives down the aisle towards the altar where the priest awaits to give the deceased a final blessing.

"Life sure is short eh, Eli?" Maki mumbled as the scene was playing out if front of them.

"Yes, but it's even shorter if you have regrets." She quipped; causing the sergeant to cough for the witty statement that had surely hit its mark.

 _I don't know if you're trying to be sarcastic here._

Then the scenery quickly changed once more to the glum slums where the unfortunate ones reside; and Eli couldn't help but feel pity as they passed through groups of malnourished children sniffing something on their paper bags while hanging out on their apartment's steps.

"If you were wondering, these kids are solvent addicts . . . They believe that sniffing rubber cement could help ease the hunger bellowing within their bellies." The sergeant spoke, and satisfied the blonde's curiosity.

"Those poor things. . ." Eli sniffled, but Maki condemned the children's parents for doing nothing to solve their plight.

"Their parents spend their time playing cards and gossip with their neighbours . . . while those solvent boys wander around the streets and are known perpetrators of crimes around this area; aside from the fact that this district is one of the most densely populated of it all." She paused when she saw the blonde's face grimacing, and tried to retract it with a positive remark.

"But not all poor kids resort to that . . . I've been through these streets myself, and boy I had fun hanging out with them."

Then a glint appeared on Eli's eyes after hearing such jovial fact, and had already formed a question which she will dish out to her subordinate whose origins are quite questionable.

"Tell me, how old are you now Maki?" the lieutenant inserted, which was then parried by a curt yet decisive reply. "I'm seventeen, and you?"

Hearing this, the young blonde couldn't hide the feeling of joy and immediately locked hands with Maki who was clearly surprised at her reaction; and was expecting to be busted due to her age.

"We're the same age! I don't believe it!" The two then looked at each other with relief, and laughed after realizing that both of them lied about their age when they entered the military.

"So that means, we're both liars eh?" Maki chuckled while locking hands with her superior, who then responds, "Sure we are. . . Partner."

"Partner?!" the former replied, and tried to shrug the euphoric bliss and returned once more to the smug sergeant whom Eli had always known.

"Is there a problem with that Sergeant Nishikino?" the cunning blonde asked while crossing her arms; while Maki acted like as if she was offended at being called as the Russian's "partner", but deep inside she was grateful that someone considered her as such.

 _Partners eh . . . I thought you only viewed me as your subordinate, Heh._ She then tried to suppress a smile, but Eli had already caught on with her antics and snuck the white cub right by her side.

"Hey Maki . . ." She whispered, the latter then turned and saw the bear's beady eyes staring at her; causing the redhead to stutter and on the verge of tears.

 _That red ribbon . . . please, stop . . ._ then her memories came flooding back of the days during her city's fall; trembling like mad on her seat after seeing a younger version of her, with eyes streaming down a river of tears and a face covered with crimson spatters from her fallen mother.

 _Those Imperial demons . . ._

"Come on . . . Could you just give this bear a chance? It just wants someone to hug." The lieutenant moved its stubby arms while performing a very shallow act of ventriloquism; by which her friend moved away once more to avoid staring into a reflection of her former self within its mirror like surface.

Sensing this is her chance to sap some information; Eli immediately took the initiative and asked one crucial question about her past which made the sergeant cringe at the edge of her seat.

"You know, I am curious about your life in Shanghai. . ." She then held onto the sergeant's trembling hands and tried to give a sense of comfort in hopes of lightening up the weight which bears down on Maki's deteriorating soul.

But the redhead just kept silent, hugging the bag with the steamed pork buns; while her mind simmered with hatred at the way the blonde just toyed with her feelings.

 _How could you remind me of this . . ._

And before the situation goes out of hand; the tram suddenly stopped at Tutuban station; where many more of this cable suspended vehicles were lying in wait and are assigned at different rails which disperses in the entirety of the city.

It was quite an amusing sight; as the place was built during the final days of the Spanish rule on the islands and resembled a complex of three storey Chinese temples; minus the dragons and guardian lions lining its tiled roof and gates respectively.

Without a muttering a single word, Maki led the way; while Eli cursed herself for being too naive to consider the former's feelings as their friendship developed a rift during the last leg of their journey.

 _I'm sorry . . . I was just trying to strike a conversation with you._

She guided the blonde through crowds of people and children alike; all inching for a ride on this marvel of technology, while parlour girls hung around its bars and waited for a man to give their services.

And as they were making their way at its chequered floor; Eli notices someone suspicious amidst the crowd, sitting at a bench under a large clock which was hung by chains.

 _There's something wrong with that lady . . ._

The blonde then tried to notify her subordinate, but chose not to just to give her some space to ease her stress; so she decided to leave without her friend's consent, and approached a brunette wearing a casual white blouse and blue slacks.

But before she could open her mouth, the figure gave her a reed basket with a bottle of champagne that was neatly wrapped by newspaper and said.

"I knew you would come, so I came just to deliver it to you." The brunette reasoned out with a voice that was as gentle as the sea, then stood from her seat and never revealed her face to the blonde; disappearing into a sea of people which scurried about with their daily lives.

Bewildered by such luck, she didn't dare to follow the mysterious figure and instead looked to the bottle's neatly wrapped newspaper; grimacing as she tried to decipher the letters which were written in Cantonese.

 _Great, Maki now hates me and this one happens to be a Chinese article._

Then she paused when something caught her eye, an article which had a blurry photograph that was taken on the frontlines of Wuhan. She sat at the bench and took a peek, her sapphire orbs widening when she saw a shadow stalking atop an old Buddhist temple; its ghastly silhouette being lit upon by the full moon behind it.

 _What's this supposed to be?_

And just as she was pondering for an answer; Maki immediately grabbed her by wrist then scowled: "What do you think you're doing?! You could easily get lost around here!"

Eli then hid the article on her pocket for her to read later, and giddily presented the basket where their objective was to be found; but was instead ignored by the redhead who quipped: "It's almost eleven, it's about time we head into Divisoria and scout for supplies."

"O-okay . . . Okay, you're in charge now." the two then exited the station via its west gate; and after a few minutes stroll, they came to a place which is really filled with high pitched shouting and the stench of fish bloating under the glaring sun.

"Man . . . look at all these crabs." the naive blonde remarked at a wriggling mess of large grey crabs struggling to get rid of its bind to get another shot of life.

"Shut up and give me the list."

"Alright then." She pouts while giving the piece of paper to the redhead who vigorously scanned it then puts it on her pocket.

"Follow me." They once more struggled to go through a crowd yelling for a negotiable price amongst the stalls selling various goods ranging from poultry, sea food, spices, and vegetables; and Eli couldn't help but cover her ears as their voices reached really high decibels, irritating her to the core.

But as she tried her best to find tranquillity amidst the hectic bustles and tussles of everyday life on this golden city; the immigrant still didn't hesitate to reach her hand as a guide along the way, for no matter how bad she may had treated her, Maki now viewed her as a friend and fully understood that not all relationships flourish without any sort of rift existing between them.

"Maki?" She whispered like an innocent little girl.

"I told you to follow me. . ." Maki responded with motherly overture then made their way towards a section of the market where imperishable goods were sold by the bulk.

And as she was being led through lines of bamboo supported tents selling various wares, Eli couldn't believe that her subordinate forgave her in an instant.

 _I must apologize to her . . ._ Gathering her guts and disregarding their officer to subordinate relationship, she prepared herself to mutter an apology when the sergeant stopped and looked at a heap of gleaming Christmas balls of various colours and tediously inspected each one for any defects.

She stayed behind her friend as the two suddenly spoke out in fluent Cantonese, sputtering words in very quick succession like a machinegun; further adding to the blonde's confusion and decided to let them be . . . panning her eyes through canvas roofed stalls which were also swamped with people arguing the same way as her friend.

 _I feel like I'm a helpless little cub._ Eli thought as she stared at the two bears sitting comfortably at the basket; then walked for quite a distance to scan for something worth her buck.

She then came across a lonely shop where no one else seemed to lurk around; so the gal decided to barge in and see why it didn't fish out as much customers like the others.

 _Strange . . . It's like everything here is jarred._ Eli thought while scanning the cabinets that were filled with earthen jars; while a very strong smell of eucalyptus incense almost numbed her senses.

Then she spots something gleaming at the corner of her eye; curious, she walked towards it and realized that it was a sapphire roll of cloth, still good as new.

"Harasho . . ." Her cerulean orbs gleamed when she saw the ornate drawings on its sheet; then took a little bit of a rub at its roses that was as if it was going to bloom if the spring's radiant rays touched its crimson buds.

"Ahh, the color clearly suits you milady." A man wearing bottlecap sunglasses appeared behind a curtain of glimmering beads; stroking his fu Manchu moustache in hopes of striking a deal with the Russian who was glaring at him with utmost suspicion.

"I'm sorry, but I'm just trying to know its texture. That's all." Eli backed down as the shady figure approached then unrolled it for her to see.

"It clearly compliments the icy hue of your eyes, and this roll was made by an artisan who journeyed into the land of snow and sleet."

 _Snow and sleet . . . You mean Siberia?_

He then removed his glasses to see more clearly, and was impressed by the girl's curves that shone through her well tended uniform.

"Splendid."

The befuddled lieutenant then raised an eyebrow and asked:

"H-how much is it?"

The merchant then puts the glasses back and tried to further convince the Russian who was already mesmerized by the cloth's radiant glare.

"This is the only one left of its kind here, but I am going to give you a price that I'm sure you're going to like. . . Say, ten pesos a metre won't hurt?"

Hearing this, Eli's face glowed out from joy and tried to pull her wallet when Maki suddenly butted in to their conversation.

"I hope it's not some sort of cheap imitation you have there."

She then came between them and squared off with the merchant that was now paling in fright from her panther like stare.

"Ten just won't cut it, and the quality seems to be way well off." The redhead asserted in behalf of her gullible friend.

The man tried to stand his ground by trying to prove that his ware is only the best there is; presenting it closer to the redhead who scrutinized it like a hawk eyeing a suitable prey.

"You must be mistaken milady, here . . . Feel it and you'll see."

He tried to let her have a feel of it, but Maki had already judged the quality and retorts,

"With all due respect, I could easily discern the quality just by looking at it. And due to your cloth's stitching, it is easily prone to unravelling at the slightest snag of a pin."

"But . . ."

"There are other merchants here worthy of taking our money, but yours too pricey and gravely lacklustre in quality." She confidently declared then gave Eli a wink.

Feeling that he has met his match; the man stammered: "O-okay, five for a metre then."

"Two." Maki nonchalantly replied.

"I can't sell it that low! Meet me at three-fifty and it's yours."

"Meh, two is my price . . . If you can't deal with it, then we'll just leave and find other guys who has better quality merchandise than this."

Eli saw the whole exchange unfolding right in front of her eyes and was amazed by her sergeant's wit and cunning; a trait which she didn't possess at all, for she always settled for the initial price rather than slugging it out for a bargain.

 _Just wow. . . So the debates I saw earlier are actually bargaining deals?_

"So, what's it going to be? One per metre or waste a chance of gaining sales?"

"You're not the only customers around here!"

Maki then gave off a sarcastic grin from his statement and chimed:

"Your shop says otherwise . . . The dust speaks for itself."

The blonde then looked at the interior and saw the rest of his wares gathering hordes of dust, a sign that his business was struggling hard to keep itself up.

Trying to hide her interest from the merchandise, Maki then puts up a ruse and tried to rope the blonde with it. "Man, we can't wait here all day just to hear a clear answer. . . Eli, let's check out the other one nearby." She then gave the latter a wink then pretended to walk away when . . .

"Wait!" The sergeant then turned around as the man pulled off a scissor and asked.

"How many metres would you like to have milady?" He then looked at the Russian who replied:

"Five metres will do for a dress . . . Right Maki?"

"Nah, it's more like eight due to your height."

The merchant then turned his attention to the sergeant who asked if there's something else aside from the blue one which her superior wanted.

"Is there anything else you want?" he vexed; for he was clearly irritated at Chinese girl's wit.

Sensing that this is her chance to buy cheap; the sergeant immediately quipped: "Something red and not so tacky."

"Well, just your luck . . . there is one here." He then snipped the piece of cloth and neatly folded it before rushing in to take another roll.

Eli then looked at her friend who has a cheeky grin drawn on her lips and buzzed:

"You're very good at this."

Maki then stole a glance at her superior and haughtily responds,

"It's nothing. . . that's how we conduct business around here."

The man then returned with the roll and confidently places it in front of the duo that were in awe as the silken cloth was unravelled right before their eyes.

"Beautiful . . ." The blonde muttered as the cherry blossom buds were carefully hand painted; each drawn detail showing off the bud's individuality, while the skylark's light brown hue and black spots also stood out, a very clear example of an artisan who really puts passion first before profit.

"Look at the cherries in full bloom; this is the true face of spring." He confidently declared; but the panther wasn't done playing by her cheap tricks and tried to hide her amazement by putting on her grimacing look.

"Heh . . . I'm buying that for the same price as the last."

"Three fifty and we have a deal; this cloth is of a higher grade. . . I assure you!"

"Two twenty five, that's what my budget permits." She then sharpened her glare towards the merchant who was still determined to make a profit.

"Three, for I still need to pay for my rent."

"Me and my friend here still has a lot of places to go, so one pesos and twenty five cents would cut it."

"W-what the?" but before he could let out a bitter snarl; the sergeant then extended her hand for a shake, and reluctantly accepts the panther's deal.

"Okay fine . . ." He then took the scissor and asked:

"How many metres would you like to have dear?"

"I'll take five." She then flashes a cheesy grin as the scissors bit into her desired cloth; He then folded it and neatly places it into the basket, before returning the bottle of champagne and the pair of cubs to sit on it.

"I am happy to do business with you." Maki bowed at her kin who returned the gesture in kind; for at the end of the day, no matter how heated the bargains were, they are still people who'd like to find a new friend.

"Me too, have a safe trip."

The duo exited the shop, while the Chinese man hid his hands by the long flowing sleeve and smiled as he reaped some profits from the exchange.

"Whatever you've heard about us has a hint of truth to it; as we are fond of buying anything at a bargain." Maki beamed while looking for a way out of the market with Eli carrying all the goods, wearing a jowl under her cheeks as she felt their roles had been reversed.

 _I can't believe this is happening._ The blonde thought as she glared at the sergeant who was whistling away with the list in hand.

"Next up, we're heading to Binondo . . . A place where I spent my early years." Maki mused, then hummed a tune which calmed Eli's mind.

 _I guess she's in-charge for now. . . hehe._

Finally they were able to steer clear from the crowded and heated atmosphere of Divisoria, and sat on the bench facing a side of a bustling boulevard to wait for another tram to pass; this time, directly heading towards the world's oldest Chinatown.

"Maki." Eli called to her friend that was sitting right beside her; separated by the basket together with the pair of cubs that sat with it.

"What?"

"I'm sorry." The blonde hung her head in shame, expecting Maki to condemn her act; but was instead responded in kind with a sarcastic burst of laughter from her Chinese friend.

"Seriously? for what?"

"For being too curious about your past."

"Nah, it was nothing . . . In fact, I'm the one that should apologize to you. . ." And with a change of heart; Maki takes the white cub and places it on her shoulder.

"I guess this cub doesn't want to hurt me after all . . . So I am truly sorry for overreacting to such an innocent toy." She then waved its stubby arms and showed Eli how a true ventriloquist does their trade.

"You know . . . Maki was just playing with you! So I hope you won't feel sad about it yellow one!" Eli's face suddenly glowed from amazement as the redhead spoke without even opening her mouth for a tiny bit; then beamed out a satisfied "Khorosho" for her friend's amicable and adorable deed.

"Say . . . don't tell me that you worked as a puppeteer around here?" the sergeant shook her head and placed the bear back to the basket and said, "No, the truth is that I worked here as an entertainer . . . But I guess I just practiced ventriloquism to entertain myself during my lonely days."

"Oh, is that so."

"Yes." Maki nodded in affirmation.

The blonde then panned through the rows of lavish shops and electric posts neatly lined up by pairs in the middle of the district's thoroughfare, bordered by rails on either side.

But once more, curiosity got the best of the Russian gal and asked once more about the place they were in; which was promptly answered in kind by her friend who had already put the basket on her lap and sat really close to her.

"Can you tell me where we are right now?"

"This is still part of Tondo, but on the other side of this river is Binondo."

"So, uhm . . . are the two separate districts?"

"Yes, and I hope you won't get confused over it next time Eli."

A moment of silence ensued after that, and the two were sitting so close to each other that they were able to take a whiff of each other's scent that were surprisingly fresh even if they've been through a very long journey on the winding streets and a crowded market in this land of unparalleled opportunity.

"Hey, raspberry really does suit you Eli." The redhead cooed, while the blonde giggled and also complimented her friends' own.

"Lavender . . . You're good at choosing your stuff Maki."

"Thanks."

The two then stood from their seats as a tram conveniently stopped right in front of them; and they embarked once more to another lengthy ride towards the place where they'll spend the night.

 _Binondo . . . A little piece of China on my second home._

Steamrolling through a seemingly never ending loop of bare brick apartments, lampposts and neatly parked cars; Eli scanned around for anything that could pique her interest, while Maki had finally conquered her fear of the scarlet-ribbon bear and sat while hugging it close to her chest.

 _Walk with love . . . that's the thing my mother taught me, but . . ._

She snapped out of her thoughts when Eli suddenly places the yellow bear by her lap and said: "Can you please let Mr. Cuddles come out and play?" making her giggle as the blonde had already given a name for her white cub.

"Mr. Snuggles? Seriously?" the sergeant raised an eyebrow and played her puppeteer's act once more; entertaining the lieutenant who's really curious at how it's done.

"Sure! But please wait as I try to ask permission from grumpy old sarge here!" then gave a off a wink towards Eli who then responded:

"Okay!"

The two paused their little child's play and focused on the road ahead; as the bridge which separated the two districts appeared at the distance, and beyond it lay the district of Binondo; a small piece of land which was explicitly reserved for her people.

Binondo is a town born from the inbred fear of the Spaniards against the Chinese, who at the time of their arrival had already settled in together with the local Indios.

Miguel Lopez de Legazpi, the first Governor General decided to relocate all these immigrants on a patch of land that was only a cannon's shot away from Fort Santiago; just in case they'll rise once more against his fledgling government.

During the era of Japan's militarist expansion on the early 30's, it became a safe haven for immigrants due to America's neutrality stance since the Great War; enjoying as much privilege like those who were naturally born here while leading a normal life far from their war torn land.

It is here where Maki spent her early years, then moving up to claw for survival on the rough streets of nearby Tondo; another predominantly Chinese quarter that was notorious for its gangs and nightclubs.

There she used her talent in playing the piano and was able to make ends meet during her early days in this wild west town; up until she was able to pass the Army's exam and moved to Corregidor where she met the eccentric young lass.

"Eli, come on! It's time to go!"

"Harasho . . ." Eli mused as she marvelled at Binondo's lion gate that was made purely of wood; its foundations painted with a very bright shade of vermillion, while it's glazed tiled roof was cerulean blue with two golden dragons facing the north and south respectively.

But what really caught her eye were a pair of guardian lions at its base, its left foot stepping upon a globe while its large bulging eyes and glaring teeth almost made her quiver where she stood.

"Something tells me that from where you came from, statues like these had never existed."

Maki then tapped on her shoulder and assured that it isn't the only thing which gives Binondo its identity.

"Lions and Dragons aren't enough to paint a full picture of this place." Then led the way for her to follow through.

As reluctant as she was to leave the awe inspiring site of the arch; the blonde followed her friend to a world which further resembled the latter's homeland.

"Eli, hurry up!" She called out to the blonde who was aghast at the sight of towering apartments much like the ones found in the metropolis; but had these guardian lion statues stationed its gates, this time having a tinge of mossy green due to it being bronze.

 _I wonder how it feels living here?_

They then made their way through a cobbled street packed with shops like the one at the Divisoria, now displaying sealed jars filled with remedies which the Chinese were known of; and Maki stopped at a certain "drugstore" then explained the jar's contents respectively. . . much to the blonde's utter disgust.

"As you can see, these jars are specifically marked by the rubber band which hold their cloth lids." The redhead confidently chimed and pointed to the one having the red rubber band wrapped at its mouth; and continued on with her very short lecture:

"This one definitely holds pickled snakes . . ."

What?! Pickled snakes?! What kind of sane person would buy that?! Eli's pupil's widened after the mere mention of snakes and questioned its validity as a product; which was then crushed as a man walked out of the shop carrying the jar while whistling a tune.

"While the green one holds newts."

"What?!"

Maki nodded to affirm her known "fact" which made the lieutenant stick out her tongue and told the former to stop.

"Okay, okay . . . I don't want to hear any of it anymore! Please, can we just move on to other parts of this town Maki?"

"Sure." She confidently remarked; then covered her mouth as she snickered at making her superior's stomach churn.

 _I was just making stuff up . . . the truth is, the jars only hold different types of alcoholic drinks._

Maki then led her from the shop lined street towards another walled quarter of Binondo, and just like the entrance; it had two lions, and an arched pagoda together with its slithering dragons.

"Welcome to my world Eli, and this is where I spent my days." Maki exclaimed, extending both arms out of pride to her heritage.

The young blonde then panned those pair of sapphire orbs to the scenery that was far from her countryside home; where houses with lacquer glazed tiled roofs and smaller versions of the guardians at its gate became a commonplace sight, while large red lanterns lined the wires as it lay above the street, making the curious blonde wonder:

 _Is this what Cathay really looks like?_

She then found more Chinese immigrants who wore the same lustrous coats as the one she bought; with the women's hourglass like figure further embossed by their short sleeved, thigh slit garb called a quipao dress.

"Beautiful." Eli then lets out a cackle and covered her mouth after she muttered the word without her knowledge, but Maki heard her friend's statement and said:

"I guess you're hungry . . . Come, let's eat here." She was then led by her guide towards an open air restaurant which offered her a 360 degree view of the main thoroughfare of the old Chinese quarter.

"Make yourself comfortable Eli." They then settled themselves on the outermost table, then the sergeant told her to stay put and guard the goods.

"I'll go and order our meal, so please watch over it okay?"

"Okay."

She then looked away and indulged at the panorama of brightly coloured lanterns being hung on a clothesline which joined the apartments at the distance; and propped her head when a street musician played a guqin, a seven stringed instrument that was strung on a long board.

The mellow "tang" mesmerized the young blonde and made her giggle from sheer delight when the performer put out some soothing crescendos, making her feel like the world around her fell silent; then made here think of the place where she gained her identity, together with the people she cherishes so dearly.

"This bear, It kind of reminds me of Alisa . . ." Eli paused and looked straight at the cub's beady eyes; as if it was longing for a companion to share its lonely days with.

 _I just wonder how Alisa is doing right now . . . It's been a long time since she wrote._

"Hello there, is this seat taken?" the blonde then snapped from her chain of thoughts when she saw an elderly lady whose gray hair was tied on a ponytail and dressed in a black stiff collared, long sleeved suit called a cheongsam, paired by loose slacks.

"N-no, please make yourself comfortable ma'am."

"Thank you dear."

 _Sigh, what's taking Maki so long?_ She then tried to pass the time by picking a toothpick when the elderly woman suddenly started a conversation with her.

"You know, this place is even better once the sun sets."

Puzzled, Eli retorts: "Is that so?"

She then puckered her wrinkled lips and blabbered on, "Yeah, those lanterns will be lit; and a spectacle of fireworks will light up the sky with its multicoloured lights."

 _Fireworks? Oh I should tell Maki about this!_ Eli brewed as she realized this once in a lifetime opportunity to see fireworks up close and personal; for as a child, she could only watch it at a distance as its pops appeared at a fraction of a second on the town of San Jose.

But when she was about to respond from the old lady's enticing statement; Eli noticed something was amiss to the shady figure right next to her, for her faint green veins are already showing under her creamy white skin.

 _This old lady is weird . . . she is as pale as a ghost._

Eli then gathered her guts and tried to learn more about this mysterious person who just appeared out of nowhere and courteously asked for a seat; while keeping an eye out for her friend who still talks in Cantonese to the owner.

"Ma'am . . . Is it okay if I ask?" by which the lady replied, "Yes dear, I'm glad you would."

Wasting not another moment, she then tried to inquire about her address; giving out a piece of paper and a fountain pen, but the old lady vehemently refused it and replied

"There's no need to know where I live anymore, for dear old Maki will come to it later."

Then Eli felt an unusually cold gust of wind touching her nape once more; so she turned around to the direction of the redheaded sergeant who was now giving a bow as she procured a pair of steaming hot bowls from its counter.

 _Maki? How could she know about her?_

She then tried to know more about her new found acquaintance, but when returned her gaze; the lady was no more, leaving only an empty chair and a wilted mahogany leaf. Picking it up, Eli studied it for any sign of anomaly; but sighed when she had found none.

 _Was I hallucinating? But I swear, I had felt her warm breath as she spoke to me._

"Is there something I missed?"

Eli then snaps from her chain of thoughts when Maki finally returned with a couple of steaming bowls on a tray then gently slides it over; much to her delight.

 _Oh well . . . I guess I'm just hungry then._

Shrugging off the feeling of dread, she looked at the bowl which contained some diced carrots, shredded cabbages, thin flat noodles and some prawns; but what really piqued her interest in trying out this dish was its strong aroma which wafted through the depths of her mind.

 _Harasho!_

Seeing how her friend looked at the food; Maki then gave a smirk and told the blonde its name. "This dish is called Lomi, and you better be careful though; for its really piping hot." The redhead then separates a pair of chopsticks from its bind and helped herself out.

Meanwhile, the lieutenant tried to follow the sergeant's example in breaking the bind, and tried to pick the flattened noodles from its seafood broth that just slipped back into the bowl.

 _Darn it._

She tried again and again with the same results, while the immigrant just pretended that her full attention is set on her food; but was in fact stealing glimpses of the blonde who struggled to take her first bite.

 _How does she do that?_

Eli then studied the sergeant's hand and tried to copy how it's done when Maki suddenly yelled:

"Wo keyi you yige shaozi?" (Can I have a spoon?)

Then soon after, a boy carrying the item rushed towards their table and presented it to the redhead who refused it and pointed out to her struggling friend who still had a hard time taking some carrots.

"That's for her." The boy then stared at the blonde and reluctantly gave it to her.

"Thank you." Eli chimed as she procured the spoon, but he didn't seem to be happy around the Caucasian and mumbled, "Gweilo." (Demon.) then rushed back to his father's side to help with the orders.

Befuddled by the kid's response, she turned to the sergeant who just hunched shoulders and explained it with a hint of deception hidden in her voice.

"It means you're welcome." Then drank some more of the scrumptious broth.

"Oh . . . Okay." She cooed while scooping some strands, then moaned after tasting the broth soaked noodles in her mouth.

 _T-this, this is delicious!_

Then soon after swallowing the first bite, Eli shovelled some more into her gullet; never minding the fact that it was still piping hot.

"You never cease to amuse Me." the redhead jeered and finished hers with one final slurp; then preoccupied herself by staring at people going about with their daily lives, feeling quite out of place after she left this little Chinatown.

 _It's been a while . . . but I feel like I don't fit here anymore._

She then looked at the sky that was already taking on its darker guise; for the sun is already setting right into the mouth of Manila Bay.

"Eli . . . there's one more thing I have to show you, so you better hurry up."

 _I still feel that there's something really wrong today, I just don't know what it is._

Maki then lets out a sigh and watched as the pigeons flew overhead; as if they were trying to send their last goodbye before it sets, then she heard a burp and saw the blonde already wiping her mouth clean of any leftover bits.

"Okay then, I guess you're ready then."

The puzzled blonde just stared at her while raising both eyebrows as a suitable response.

A few minutes later . . .

"Maki, where are we going?" Eli whined as the redhead dragged her through the cobbled street.

"I'm going to visit someone, so please hurry up!"

 _She must be speaking about that old lady . ._ . She then narrowed her gaze to some apartments which looked like as if it was hundreds of years old; crumbling away from years of emptiness and neglect.

Then as they cut a corner; a very high pitched and annoying sound suddenly rattled the lass' resolve, causing her to cover both ears while gnashing her teeth out in agony.

 _W-what the heck is going on?_

Eli scanned the perimeter for anything unusual when she found a man hammering down the pavement with a jackhammer; chipping away bits of cement at a very fast rate, dangerously exposing passersby with its rough fragments that were almost as big as a toddler's fist.

"ELI! JUST HOLD ONTO MY HAND!" Maki yelled out from the top of her lungs and reached out once more to her friend who accepted it in kind.

The two then dashed out towards the safety of another street, effectively muffling the ear ripping sound while the sergeant finally breathed out a sigh of relief when she finally saw the distinctive headless lion of her former apartment that also blended with the crumbling wrecks around it.

"I guess we're here then." She haughtily declared then strode towards the doorstep and knocked the brass ring found on the middle of the faded red door.

*Knock, knock*

Eli then cringed after the redhead opened the door with a very pitched creak; and entered the building's premises while calling out: "Nainai, wo huilaile!" (Grandma, I'm home!)

Maki then led the flustered blonde on a leather sofa which faced a small table that had some worn out photographs on top of it.

"Stay here, I'll just go and visit her." Eli nodded at her friend's command then sat down as the latter rushed at the stairs while calling out for the landlady who also became her "second mother."

 _This place is sort of creepy . . . I just wonder if Maki's acquaintance live alone here._ She thought while looking at a photograph which shows a Chinese soldier standing beside a man wearing a police officer's uniform complete with officer's shoulder boards.

"My son served under the Kuomintang all his life." She then felt her hairs stand on end as the small pitched voice of the old lady she met at the restaurant returned to strike a conversation with her.

"And the police officer who's right beside him is in fact your friend's father." The spectre then took the frame and sat beside the blonde who was already breaking down in cold sweat.

She felt a very heavy feeling of dread pouring down her spine as the lady's pale wrinkled skin rubbed against hers' transmitting a very eerie chill at the same time.

"In case she hadn't told you, Maki was once a rich girl who lived on the outskirts of town; showered by the love of her parents who bitterly met a tragic fate during the battles fought on the city of Shanghai."

Eli didn't mutter a single word, for her jaw seemed to be locked in place; but her consciousness was still there, wondering about her friend's tragic tale.

 _Maki . . ._

Then as soon as the lady finished her statement, a loud scream was heard from the second floor; then the blonde felt as light as a feather once more and rushed towards her friend's aid, dashing through the steps like an athlete vying for a the topmost place.

 _Maki, don't worry; I'm coming for you!_

But when she stood near the open door; she saw the redhead already crying at the landlady lying stiff on her bed, wearing the same clothes she wore at the restaurant.

 _That lady . . . she was . . . trying to tell me a story?_

"Grandma! I had finally come to see you again, yet you didn't even wait for me to return!" Maki sobbed as she buried her face by the lady's bedside; then a group of people entered the room to take the corpse to the local morgue, while the leader explained her dying wishes to the bereaved young lass.

"Ah Mah knew that she'll be passing soon, so she left us a wish that she'll be lying by the bed and wait for the return of her lost child."

He then puts something on the redhead's shuddering palm, a heart shaped locket which she kept all these years; bearing a picture of her father who passed away during the first Shanghai incident of 1931.

Meanwhile, Eli is just there; looking on with grief as her friend was plunged into the depths of despair once more, but couldn't do anything about it for she must leave some space for the girl to lament the loss of a loved one.

 _I can't believe that Maki had gone through subsequent losses and still kept on fighting for her life . . . And I am in awe to her vicious tenacity which far exceeds mine._

The men then covered the deceased with her bed sheet and carefully traversed down the stairs while Maki still cried like a baby, looking at the pair of lockets on her possession; each holding a memory of a person she holds dear.

"Maki . . ." the lieutenant then wrapped her arms around the sniffling little lass; and tried to comfort her with the words her mother once spoke of:

"Even if you are in the depths of despair, always remember that I am always by your side; holding your hand even through your darkest hours."

With that said, Maki reciprocated the embrace and whispered something with a voice so full of innocence and mellow resolve, "I know I could trust you Eli, so I'll tell you my story."

Epilogue:

A tiny ballerina in pirouette form spun slowly at the melodious chime of a child's little boxed toy; gleaming in all its glory as the dying rays of the sun touched its entirety, gently soothing a tainted soul which reeked with overwhelming guilt from the murders she committed all in the name of the Empire's cause.

Wearing the same uniform that was soaked in the blood of the innocents and soldiers alike; she knelt close at the cliffs edge, muttering a silent prayer for those who perished from her own hands.

But as she was about to close it off, the colonel found her at last and tried to persuade her to return by the only way she knew.

"I've been searching for you, you ungrateful piece of shit." Her low stern voice remarked at the kneeling persona who also wears the standard issue of the imperial marines, all khaki with maroon ankle boots bound by a thin strip of green cloth, and a netted helmet which bore a brass anchor insignia.

"Hey! Are you even listening to me? Speak up and explain yourself!"

She then stood up from its grassy bind and promptly closed the wooden box; interrupting the surreal melody together with its dancer and pursed her succinct lips to respond at her superior's rude remark.

"I'm sorry, but I was just trying to watch a very beautiful sunset." She mused, then flashed those evil set of ruby eyes against the amber pair.

Unfazed by her subordinate's lustful glare, she turned around then left a message coupled with a dire warning:

"Our empire is going to wage war against the world around us, so you better report back to our ship or I'll strike you down myself."

The stern Imperial officer then walked away, leaving the corporal to give a last glimpse of the dying sun before returning with her to the docks where the invasion force are already preparing set sail.

"I only hope you are prepared to meet me. . . Maki." She then lowered her visor and drew a an insidious smirk.

* * *

Last note: I've been waiting for a very long time for your fic to be updated . . . TwT


	5. Broken Wings

A/N: Disclaimer: I do not own Love Live except this set of random scribbles.

Feel free to correct me, for I still have a lot to learn when it comes to writing.

* * *

" _Maki." Eli cooed as she tried to comfort her subordinate who was crying streams over her shoulder, and didn't know what to do for she is now witnessing a softer side to her hardnosed sergeant; one that is helpless and as fragile as a child._

 _Sniffling from the billowing despair deep within her soul, she separated from her friend's loving embrace; and looked on as the vermillion rays of the dying sun shone through the window's stained glass, painting a picture of their nation's icon whose pale twelve rayed sun illuminated the room and brought back vivid memories of her oriental past._

" _Eli." Maki mused, and looked straight at her friend's sapphire orbs._

 _The blonde just gave off a succinct nod, and continued:_

" _This is my story . . ."_

* * *

 **Chapter 5: Broken Wings**

"Mom, can people have wings and fly?" a child innocently asked her mother who was still looking at the horizon with a hand upon her eyebrows. The woman just looked at her daughter, kneeled down beside her, then stroked her hair and replied: "Yes honey, they do."

The child then looked at her mother's eyes with furrowed eyebrows, still puzzled at the answer she got and asked again: "But how come I don't have one?" then she puts her hand in the back of her daughter's head and leaned in closer, their foreheads now very close to one another and replied with a calm voice: "Because you don't need to."

"Why?" The child then tilted her head, which made the lady giggle about the tot's reaction and embraced her tightly, saying: "For mama still needs lil' Momo by her side."

A little girl was being cuddled by her mother on a grassy field on top of a hill, overlooking the picturesque Hangzhou Bay which lay at the south of her beloved city. Her arms wrapped around the little girl's waist tickling her to laugh uncontrollably as they were waiting for the sun to set.

Maki was very curious about her world; the place where she was born and where she gained her consciousness, surrounded by people she loved. Violet eyes glimmered with hope and innocence, optimistic for a brighter future in a country where she had her identity, her home.

While her mother was a British journalist who settled in Shanghai and met her father, an aspiring policeman who was then studying at a premier police academy.

After the giggles and innocent sniffles have ended, the two are now lying down on a patch of grass; the little girl nestled in her tender and loving arms. Then her mother asked her a very simple question as she turned towards Maki who was already looking back at her.

"Maki, what would you want to be when you grow up?"

"I want to be a pianist, Mom! I really want other people to hear the sweet sound of music and make them happy!" the girl answered with excitement, her violet eyes looking expectantly at her mother's.

The lady then dove in to give her child a tickle, and was exchanging laughs when a car pulled up right behind; followed by a very familiar voice who disrupted their time together.

"Awww, I thought you want to be a policeman just like me?" Hearing this, Maki stared at the man who was neatly dressed in a policeman's uniform; coming at them with a smile.

"Dad!" She cried, running towards him and giving him a very tight embrace.

"Wow, Maki! You're so strong! Are you sure you don't want to be like me?" He asked while trying to catch his breath.

"Do I get to play the piano if I'm a policeman?" quipped the child who looked up at her father expectantly. He responded crisply, "No."

*Groan*

She released her embrace and looked down on the ground, disappointed from his stark reply.

"Well, maybe after work...," he weakly promised, raising his eyebrows in the direction of his wife who was smiling at him.

"Really?" her pinkish glow returned to her cheeks at her father's answer.

"Yeah, so study hard and do your best! Someday, you will be a very great police, er pianist!" He thenchanged his answer upon noticing his wife's murderous glare.

"Mmm!" Maki nodded and her father proceeded to kiss her forehead, after which he stood up and exclaimed with a whimsical tone: "Hey, look what I've got!"

He turned his back, then reached for his bag and brought something out of it.

"What is it, Dad?" Maki blurted out expectantly as her father kept hiding an object behind him.

"Ta-dah! a small electronic keyboard just for my little musician! Happy birthday my little Momo!" then he kneeled down and presented it to her.

"Thank you dad! You're the best!" she quickly snatched the keyboard from his hand, sat on the grass, and started tapping random chords.

He then looked at his wife who look sort of unimpressed but at the same time happy for remembering their child's birthday.

"So there's none for me? How rude!" Maki's mom interjected.

 _"_ How about a kiss?" her father teased.

"You do that every day, even until midnight! I am forced to take a bath early in the morning because of that!" She crossed her hands, closed her eyes, and looked away with a blush visible on her face.

"Gee, sorry, I just can't help it." He scratched the back of his head in shame.

"But you know what? You look so cute if you do that!" Her father then ran behind her and gave her a very tight hug, then kissed her on the cheeks.

"Stop! Let's not do this in front of little Momo!" she objected, her face all red from embarrassment.

"Oh, sorry."

"Good grief, you could be so reckless sometimes! It could get you in danger, you know?" she warned.

But before he could mutter a single word, Maki suddenly stood up, pointed excitedly at the horizon and screamed: "Mom, Dad! Look! The sun is setting! The sun is setting!"

The two turned to their heads at the setting sun and her father walked up beside her and said: "Maki, do you know why the sun sets?"

"Why?" the child wondered, looking at the sunset with curious eyes while clutching the keyboard on her hands.

"Because it wants to share its light and warmth to everyone," Her father answered with a calm tone as he raised his hand and swiped it across the horizon.

"Even if they're bad?" the child then held the keyboard close to her chest and looked at her father who looked at her with eyes filled with compassion and love.

"Yes. Even if they are the worst, most evil people in the whole wide world, the sun never fails to shine upon everyone."

He then put his hand on Maki's head and felt her scarlet locks running through his fingertips, then he continued: "Just like the sun, there's someone up above who looks down on us. He loves us no matter how bad we are, then gives us hope and another shot at redemption."

"Dad," she lovingly called with tears trickling down her rosy cheeks.

 _"_ Why are you crying, Maki?" he asked solicitously.

"I... I'm so happy today. I really want this moment to last forever," she said with a shaky voice.

He looked at his wife who was standing right next to their child. She raised an eyebrow at him implying that he should explain further to their daughter who still had droplets of tears on her lilac eyes.

Then he looked at Maki and explained, "You know that can't happen."

"Why not?"

"Because no matter how beautiful our days are, we still have to move on."

"Why, Dad? I'm confused!" Maki said with a pout on her lips.

"So everyone has a fair chance to be happy, that's why." Her father looked at her with a smile.

Then he lifts his daughter to sit on his shoulders and stared as the sun finally sets upon their land, while the city opened up its neon lights under the backdrop of an indigo sky that a faint band of vermillion stretched over the horizon.

Maki couldn't help but giggle as he took his laurel visor cap and placed it atop her crown, while her mother wrapped her arm around her beloved husband who said:

: "Someday, you will be the best pianist the world has ever known! Never give up on your dreams Maki. Be the very best at what you do! And share your love and joy to everyone in the world with every note you play. To give them hope. . ."

By which her mother finished the sentence and looked to her child with eyes brimming with love, "And something to believe in."

On the evening of the 29th of January 1931

Maki approached her mother who was washing dishes in the kitchen, then tugged at her apron. The latter then put the dishes aside on the tray, and faced her daughter with puffy violet eyes. The little girl then tried to ask her why she was crying, for she overheard her wailing loudly from her bedroom. She was, however, more concerned why her Dad has not come home yet.

Trying to quench her curiosity, she looked at her mother's eyes expectantly and asked: "Mom, is Dad coming home tonight?"

Her mother then looked away and wiped her tears with her sleeve and answered: "No, He is not going home anymore, ever."

"Why?" the kid then looked down the floor with a disappointment on her face. Seeing this, she placed her hand on her daughter's shoulder and replied: "I don't know Maki, I don't know."

"But he promised," she sighed with a broken tone, followed by tears which formed tiny droplets on their chequered floor.

Her mother was not on the mood for arguments, so she pointed to the stairs and yelled at the lass who was sobbing silently at her feet: "Stop asking stupid questions, Maki! Just listen to what I say, and go back to your room!"

 _But he promised._

"I don't understand!" the little girl insisted, looking intently at her mother with puffy eyes with tears streaming down her rosy red cheeks. But still her mother didn't like the attitude her daughter was showing and answered with a very stern voice, "What part of he's not going home anymore could you not understand?"

After hearing this, the child's gaze returned to the floor and answered in a low frail tone, "But... he promised to come home. He promised to watch my recital."

Her mother felt very sorry for her and tried to console the child by giving her a very warm embrace, for she herself also finds it hard to admit it but, her beloved husband was gone.

And he's never coming back, ever.

She stood up then tried to explain to her daughter about what happened to her father all the while shrugging it off like nothing had happened.

"Maki, your Dad was very busy fighting the bad guys but..." But it proved too much to handle as tears came falling down as she spoke, wiping it once more and continued to explain his fate to the young tot without hurting her feelings: "He got very tired and decided to take a rest." Her mom looked down on her with teary eyes.

But Maki was no fool for she could already discern what had happened due to the way she spoke. Clenching her fist out of rage, she immediately demanded a clear answer from her mother who finally gave in as sorrow overwhelmed both their hearts.

"I still don't get it! But why isn't he coming back? If he's so tired, he should come back home so I could make him a cup of coffee!"

The little girl cried louder than before, her tomato red cheeks her father loved to kiss every time he comes home was now drenched in sour tears.

Upon seeing this, she kneeled in front of her, putting a hand on Maki's shoulder then gave her a word of comfort: "Don't worry, he's in a better place now Maki. He's watching over us right now."

"Did he sprout wings Mom?" She sniffled.

"Yes, yes he did." then her mother embraced her and closed her eyes.

Shanghai was under siege during that fateful night, as Imperial troops marched into the city's underlying districts initiating a clash with Cathay's armed forces.

The night before, the city was relentlessly bombed by the combined forces of the Army and Navy, leaving many people dead on the streets. Maki was living in the far edge of the city and had no idea what was going on. She just looked out of the window thinking that it was just firecrackers set ablaze by drunk merrymakers.

She was just 7 years old by then. Her father, a distinguished captain of the local police force was killed during a brutal street battle in one of the city's suburbs.

Mrs. Nishikino received the dire news from one of his wounded colleagues who saw him fighting a dozen Imperial Marines just to cover his escape.

A few days later after a fighting had ceased and the Japanese forces withdrawn via a treaty, his body was found kneeling on a ditch; still holding onto the sword of an officer who also sat right beside him, pierced to the heart with a knife together with four of his blue draped grunts.

He was buried with full military honours from his grateful peers, and gave it to his wife as a lasting memento of her husband's bravery in the face of overwhelming odds; as their city embarked on a road to recovery after the first incident in 1931.

But instead of backing down, Maki used this as a source of inspiration to strive for her dreams; aided by her mother who always came by her recitals and supplemented her lessons after she came home.

Then the time came when she was ready to show the world her talent that was honed even in the midst of despair; in memory of her father who gave his life for the country he swore to protect.

Six years later, in a high school somewhere in Shanghai...

The sound of roaring claps and echoing cheers filled the auditorium's massive halls as the audience were gasped in awe at the skill a young pianist had shown. She did it with such intensity that emotions ran high in the place, amusing all that were present including Kuomintang officials and conscripts that were supposed to be en route to defend the outskirts against the impending Japanese advance.

And after the piece was finished with a resounding crescendo and a passionate last note, people stood from their seats and gave the lass another standing ovation.

Afterwards, she dazzled the crowd with her innate charm that was further bolstered her sleeveless red dress gleaming under the limelight; coupled with the blooming red rose which tied up her crimson locks, complimenting the supple rosy cheeks and lips she possessed.

She couldn't help but feel elated as the years of practice had finally paid off, but at the same time saddened by the fact that her mother was not there to witness it all come into fruition.

Shrugging off the enchantment which the redhead had bestowed upon the crowd; the emcee walked up to her and asked: "Ms. Nishikino, what would you say to all the people here tonight who watched and appreciated your stunning performance?"

She looked at the audience with happiness evident on her face, because of how the people reacted to her piece. She gently got the mike from the emcee and answered:

"I...I really want to give my thanks to all of you who took their time to hear me play! I really appreciate all the support that you have given me, for it has been my source of inspiration!"she then looked up at the ceiling and thought: "Especially to you, Dad, that piece was for you."She then returned the mike to the emcee, bowed to the audience and gracefully exited the stage; once more showered by the cheers coming from them.

"There we have it, folks! The aspiring pianist, Nishikino Maki!"

Everybody in the auditorium applauded once more, then the curtains rolled in and the event was over.

Later that night...

"Mom I'm home!"she then closed the door behind her and went to the kitchen where her mother was making dinner and proceeded to kiss her on the cheeks. Happy at the way her daughter greeted her, she asked, "Oh, how's my little musician going along?" teasing her daughter who glared with a blush on her face _._

"Mom! I'm not little anymore! Geez!"Maki pouted and looked away while crossing her arms.

"Awww, you are so cute when you're like that. Come here you!"

She then proceeded to hug her tightly, leaving Maki gasping for air.

"Mom! You're embarrassing me! Stop it!" she tries to undo her mother's close embrace. Her mother relents, releasing her and asked:

"There's only the two of us here, who could possibly be watching us?" her mom then raised an eyebrow at her daughter who was fidgeting nervously.

"Dad."Maki answered with a deeper tone and tried to hide her flustered face.

"Well, aside from your Dad, Maki, who else?" She wondered, crossing her arms and looking down on her. The redhead felt nervous at her mother's reaction and muttered, "Nobody."

"Good! Now let Momma give little Momo a kiss on her tomato red cheeks."Her mother embraced her again and planted a kiss on her already blushing cheeks.

"MOM! STOOOOOOP!"she tried to fight her mother's advances but to no avail as the lady tightened it as she struggled to get it loose.

A loud scream echoed throughout the neighbourhood waking people up, causing cats to mewl and dogs to howl in unusually high decibels.

Little did they know that the Japanese are already assembling en masse at the city's outskirts as the last lines of the exhausted Nationalist forces broke up; determined to take the city for good.

It was a sunny Monday morning. Maki woke up early and prepared herself to go to school. She went to the kitchen, ate her favourite dish of chopsuey with sliced tomato, then kissed her mom on the cheeks before leaving. But before she finally disappeared from view, her mother called out to her: "Maki, go home early after class, okay? And take care of yourself!"

"Yes, Mom! I promise!" She then closed the door and rushed outside to meet her friends who were waiting for her.

"Kanata, Suzuko, Sachiko!" Maki hollered out while running towards them.

"Oye! Maki-chan!" They yelled simultaneously.

They then walked towards the school that was only a few blocks away from her home; gleefully exchanging ideas about their homework.

But as always, they asked Maki if she had done her homework; for they will try and copy it for themselves.

"So, how's your homework, Maki?" Suzuko asked.

"Oh no, I... I think I forgot to do it," Maki responded scratching the back of her head.

"My, my ,Maki. It's a miracle that you didn't do it. You'll never be number one!" Kanata interrupted.

"Come on, guys, she's only human! Leave her be!" Sachiko responded to defend her.

"You were always keen on finishing your assignments and passing them on time," Kanata said while looking at Maki.

"I forgot because I was thinking of something last night." she explained, looking away and twirling a lock of her hair.

 _"_ Something, or someone?" Suzuko teased.

"Eh?! Why do you even care! and it's none of your business!" she leaned in and yelled at her, making the other girl keep her distance away from her.

 _I was thinking of Dad last night, and how much I missed his smile._

They arrived in school just in time the bell rang for the first class in the morning; taking up her seat near a window which gave her a view of the spires which dominated the skyline of the city dubbed as the "Queen of the Orient."

It seemed that everything was smooth sailing for this young lass, as her mind once more hovered away from reality; curious at how the world looked like in the eyes of her father.

"Dad, I hope you heard me play last night."

But little did she know that her life was going to change on that fateful day. Imperial troops marched into the city suburbs, catching the Chinese off guard who thought that their line withheld their advance.

Bloody street battles had already raged on the neighbouring counties for months, but their lives stayed normal because Shanghai was vast; and they thought those little skirmishes won't spread to the entire city.

As her eyes scanned through the sky in hopes of finding some sense of comfort; a naval shell hit one of the neighbouring buildings with a thunderous blast, and shook the entire area, sending all the students scrambling out of the room.

"Everyone, head to the gymnasium!" the professor exclaimed, then looked at Maki who was trembling at her seat; as terror had once more gripped her heart.

"Nishikino!" He grabbed the girl by the wrist and led her out; just in time for another shell to score a direct hit at their classroom, saving her from an instantaneous death.

Everything became a blur as her legs became numb from fear, while her vision couldn't see anything more than faint traces of teachers and students alike; as they tried to save themselves from this sudden attack.

And as they made their way through the corridor; a grey clad soldier pointed their way out, making it clear to her that the Empire of Japan had mounted another offensive and will not stop until her city will be burned to the ground.

Gunfire soon erupted in the surrounding area as Chinese troops tried their best to halt Yamato's advance. But the enemies were better trained and well equipped that those who remained on their posts had difficulty defeating them; as their arms were nothing more than machineguns and rifles, as opposed to the combined forces of tanks, planes, and ships that mercilessly bombarded them miles away.

All they did was to hide and tried to delay their advance, hoping that reinforcements would come and save the city from the rays of the Rising Sun.

Alas, the Yamadons aren't content by combined arms alone; as gas soon crept to the streets like the looming hands of death, suffocating and burning their throats as they screamed in bitter agony, and were snuffed from their miseries by shots from their fanatical adversaries who viewed them as nothing more than mere animals for the slaughter.

Meanwhile, Maki was scared; and all that she could think of was her mother who could be in danger.

Disobeying her teacher's warnings, she and her friends rushed outside of the gymnasium with every ounce of strength she had. The redhead was not gifted with a lot of stamina, as she was with a strong heart; so she got tired easily and pants for air at each agonizing step.

"Maki! Hurry up!" Sachiko cried as they ran through the streets in the midst of incessant shelling; risking it all just to save their loved ones from harm, for they already knew what the Japanese were capable of doing once they end up on their hands.

"Here, let me help you." The lass then helped her straggle through by pitting shoulders with hers, which was then followed by Suzuko who also did the same to help.

They managed to get a few blocks away from the school's gates, when a shell suddenly hit the gymnasium; engulfing the building with a bright orange flame with a billowing pillar of black smoke. They watched in terror and thought of their friends who were with them in class that morning. Only their innocent smiles remained to haunt them for the rest of their lives.

Then as if by a very bad stroke of luck, they heard a continuous high pitched screech coming from right behind; Maki turned and saw a tank, followed by a platoon of Japanese infantrymen with their bayonets bare.

"Oh snap, Sachiko! Suzuko! Leave her! We need someone to take a fall for us!" Kanata barked, and the duo left the redhead as she fell on her knees; clearly disappointed from the people which she had called her "friends" who had now left to save themselves at her expense.

 _How? How could you do this to me!_

She tried to curse them for their deed, but her voice was sapped from her throat as fear had already took its root in her fragile mind. And to make matters worse, it fired its machineguns; sending her crawling for dear life as bullets strafed her vicinity.

 _I don't want to die! Please!_

Maki froze when she saw the mechanized menace stop right next to her, it's caterpillar tracks still had bits of meat of it; possibly from those unlucky enough to be trampled as it rampaged through the streets, while the infantrymen's heavy breaths skimmed past their masks as their malicious bursts of laughter filled the powdery air that was already choked by the screams of agony and despair.

One of the boys then grabbed her leg as they tried to make their intentions clear, while the poor lass tried to fight back; but became helpless soon after as she was dragged into a dark alleyway.

There, they took off their gasmasks and saw their grime filled faces; where only the whites of their eyes and teeth could be seen, and the rest are dried up spatters of dirt and blood.

 _No . . . I mustn't die here, please._

The grunts then moved away as their officer came forward; pulling his pants down with only the boxers remained.

She flailed madly with all she could, but was further restrained by three more; two holding her arms, while the other one by her leg which spread it apart for him to enter flawlessly.

"No!" That was the last thing that escaped her lips, as the Imperial demon knelt and prepared to do the gruesome act of robbing her "treasure."

 _Dad . . . Save . . . Me._

All that she could do now was to close her eyes and hope for a quick death to end her agony as she clearly felt something hard pressing against her underwear's thin cloth, when suddenly; the watchman was shot by a sniper's bullet, hitting him straight where his eyes met.

The official put his pants back on and hastily blew the whistle; then just like the very dogs they were, the soldiers immediately scrambled off to hunt down the hidden assailant who indivertibly saved a young girl's dignity.

Maki couldn't believe her luck, and sat up on the dark alleyway; looking up to the sky which was already turning dark due to heaven's remorse from the inhumanity which unfolded right below it.

 _Papa . . ._

She thought as a droplet of rain landed on her forehead, which felt like her father's warm kiss which had always given her comfort.

Then as if by magic, her leg's virility returned to lend her its strength; and the girl stood up from the cold, damp floor and scurried away as blasts soon gave way to the humming engines of a swarm of planes.

Rolling thunder bellowed from the heavens as the bombs fell; toppling buildings which had once gave Shanghai it eloquent status, while soldiers engaged each other in fierce hand to hand combat, their blood gushing through the gutters like a stream.

Hopelessness reigned as the sky mourned at each soul lost during this bitter struggle; but she had to endure this torment to save the one she loved the most, the only one who was there to cheer her on ever since her father passed on, the only person who she could count on, the one who cheered her up if she was down. . .

And the only one she's got left.

She ran as fast as she could with tears on her eyes, ignoring everything that was happening around her even the calls of desperate KMT troops warning her not to go any further.

Then she felt something grabbing onto her hand; so she turned around and paled once more from sheer terror when she saw the officer who tried to get his way with her.

"Please, let me go!" She pleaded, but the man still hung on while flashing an insidious grin on his face; still determined to taste this young lass' sought after virginity.

"You are not going anywhere little lady." He then burst into maniacal laughter, but suddenly stopped when a dying Chinese soldier intervened by grabbing onto his boot; his chest still bore the katana that was mercilessly jabbed into him by the Imperial scourge.

With the last ounce of strength he had, he wrestled him down to the ground; and waited as the harried shrieks came closer to where they were, flashing a smile and said to the girl who was now stuttering from the kindness he had bestowed upon her.

"Go, and never look back . . . "He wheezed when the officer pushed the sword deeper into his chest, causing him to gasp as the blade nailed him to the rubble.

"Kutabare!" the official cursed back, but the soldier still had the essence of life within him and grabbed a grenade from his belt then pulled its pin, causing it to hiss as a faint white smoke puffed from its handle's base.

Sensing that his death was imminent if he wouldn't act, the Yamadon takes the sword and repeatedly stabbed the KMT trooper; but it was already too late, as Maki ran once more while the man gave him a wink and muttered his last words which brought praise to the nation he loved.

"Wansui . . . Guomindang."(Long live the Kuomintang.)

The redhead hadn't gone far when the blast was heard; and couldn't help but sniffle from the chance given to her by a complete stranger.

 _I . . . I won't let your sacrifice go to waste sir!_ She then wiped her tears off and continued her way through a scene of smoke and wailing cries for help; while the planes dove down and strafed the last remnants of the Chinese who fought with all they had, all for the place which they called their "home."

Desperation had finally set in, as soldiers putting on thick mattresses on their bellies ran past the bewildered young lass in lines of four, followed by a man who strapped stick grenades to his body.

She looked back, and saw the valiant men ran through a hail of bullets coming from a tank; with smoke rising from their bodies as their forlorn means of protection were weathered down from the relentless rain of lead, causing them to fall like the forlorn leaves of autumn.

But the last man was able to push through, pulling a small line which lit all the grenades; then hurled himself under the mechanized beast before succumbing to his wound.

The accompanying infantrymen ran when they saw this single act of depravity and mindless determination, as Maki also tucked tails and headed towards her home where her mother may be trapped and in the risk of being raped by these merciless wogs.

"Mama!" She cried out as the tank blew up; sending scraps of its hull landing near the desperate young lass.

But it was all for naught, as soon another took its place; followed by a column of troops eager to mop up the remnants of their fallen divisions by the tip of their bayonets.

Planes hummed by her head; carrying with them something which didn't resemble a bomb at all, but were shaped like an oil drum with something faintly etched on its rusty hide.

 _RC-10_

Maki paused behind a downed armoured car; trying to catch her breath, when she smelled the pungent odour of garlic which indicated this vile gas' presence.

She wheezed desperately for air when she felt it tightening on her throat like the hand of a madman bearing down on her; and saw its wispy white smoke coming down the lane like a ghost eager to snuff her from this agonizing fate.

Mustering the last remnants of her strength, she darted off; never looking back to the carnage which befell the remnants of those brave enough to stand against an empire's might.

"Mama!"

She hollered when she was finally able to reach her house's doorstep. But before she took hold of its doorknob, it suddenly opened and a cold hand grabbed and pulled her inside.

"Maki, thank God you're back!"her mother gasped then looked at her in the eyes, her voice was shaky and she was visibly trembling and shocked about what is happening around them.

Maki then explained to her what happened, her face paling from fright on what she saw the unparalleled savagery unfolding on the streets: "Mom, our school... My classmates... everyone else is..."she then looked down, while her mother held her hands and soothed her weary soul. "Yes I know honey... I know."

She then proceeded to hug her child, for she was also traumatized by what she was witnessing firsthand as the world around them is coming to an end.

"I don't want to die." The lass whimpered out, by which she replied: "Me too."

Moments later, the shelling stopped; but the distant sounds of gunfire could still be heard.

But she felt that it was already safe for now, then lets Maki go who was still trembling from fear.

"Mom, is this what Dad had gone through?" She looked at her mother straight in the eyes and the latter replied with an assuring tone: "Yes."

"Why would people fight one another? Can't we just get all along in peace?" she said with tears beginning to fall once more from her eyes.

Her mother then wiped it off and said to her with a gentle voice: "As long as we don't know how to forgive and love one another, then the cycle of hate will never stop."

She then leaned in and kissed Maki on the forehead; silencing the young girl, who then gave her another embrace, this time, determined to never let her go.

"Mom, I'm scared..." she while burying her face in her mother's warm bosom.

Her mother responded and reciprocated the act then answered: "Me too."

Then she let go again as she heard footsteps frantically echoing at a distance. Sensing that something was coming from the harbour, she raised Maki's head and told her: "Wait here; I'll go take a look."

Her mother got up and peeked in the window's blinds and saw a group of Chinese soldiers retreating from the direction of Hangzhou port. Some have no weapons; others lost their helmets while running. But it is clearly evident that terror is drawn across their sod ridden faces.

"They're here." Her mother declared with a deeper voice, still looking through the window.

"Who?" Maki asked her nervously.

"The people that murdered your father," she answered back then closed the blinds.

But before Maki could utter a single word, her mother frantically grabbed her hand and dragged her to a closet that overlooked the living room.

"Mom, how about you?" Maki asked with tears threatening to fall from her eyes.

"Don't worry, Maki. Mom will find a way. Don't move, ok? Everything's gonna be alright."

She then closed the door, ran to the kitchen and took a knife back with her; determined to take the stand to whoever comes and violate their home.

 _Mom,_ _no... What are you doing?_

She kept herself quiet within its dark confines, the only thing she heard was her heavy breathing and some calm footsteps walking towards their door. Her mother was already standing guard by the doorway; holding her husband's knife with sweat dripping down her brows.

The door suddenly crashed with a loud thud, and her Mom quickly lunged in to attack, but the invader is just too skilled, dodging the knife, and quickly subduing her with a sword's hilt.

Her mother fell to the ground, grimacing and crying out in pain. Maki could only watch in horror when she heard her mother's agonized shriek, but held on to her words that everything will be alright; sobbing silently at the sight.

Then she saw the person that hit her mother wearing a shoulder board, giving Maki an impression that it could be an officer. The olive green uniform became darker for it was soaked in blood, the assailant's field cap bearing an anchor's insignia; and so are the helmets of the soldiers reinforcing behind.

Imperial Marines, the fiercest forces of the Navy; known for their prowess on melee combat and their unwillingness to surrender against overwhelming odds.

She had heard that they were always the first ones to spearhead an attack, and were said to be composed of the bravest, strongest, and most disciplined members, the elite of any armed forces. No wonder Maki was in awe of them.

But her view may change, for the worse.

The officer took her cap, revealing cerulean hair that was as blue as the sea; seeing this; her eyes widened and thought:

 _She's . . . a lady?_

She looked around the house, ignoring the woman who's deep in pain lying on the floor. Seeing that the place was suitable to be garrisoned, the officer turned back at Maki's mom and said: "Nice house you have here. It's a shame that you live here alone."

She commanded her men to help her stand. The officer then continued speaking with arrogance set on her tone: "This house and everything in it is now the property of Yamato," she declared in the owner's face who was sickened by the thought.

"I will never give you my house; you can have it over my dead body! Murderers!"She declared defiantly and spat on her face.

The demon smiled at her request as she wiped it off her face, and replied "Well, if that's the case, then perhaps, it could be arranged."

The soldiers then released her mother; making the lady fall on her knees, howling as her bones were crushed during her descent. Then the officer reached for her sword, but before she was able to unsheathe it, a loud scream was heard from the closet: "NOOOOOOOO!"

Maki suddenly rushed in the open, then hugged her mother who was already crying front of the officer's feet.

"Momo, I told you to stay inside!"her mother yelled in disbelief.

"No, Mom! I can't let them have you!"Maki screamed while holding her mother for dear life.

She could see in her mom's eyes that she was scared. Her sultry tears then started to fall right in front of her daughter's face.

Mustering courage, She wiped her mother's tears, stood up and faced her squarely... the officer was taller than her, but that didn't scare her at all. The soldiers looking at the spectacle were surprised that somebody stood up against their superior; a very young girl who's willing to sacrifice her life for her mother. All of them looked down in shame, afraid to look at glaring violet eyes. All of them, except...the amber eyes of the blue devil herself.

She breathed with all she could and with a scream she declared: "Leave! We don't want any trouble and so are you!" while pointing to the door.

A few moments later, one of the soldiers tried to sympathize with her and spoke up: "Ma'am, with all due respect. We might as well leave now. We all had a very hard day; and there are other houses nearby which are surely empty. I'm sure it's more comfortable there."

"Hmmm, I guess so..." the officer then turned her back on Maki and her mother, but gestured to two of her soldiers to come up and then relayed the fateful order: "Make an example out of the mother but do not harm the child. Let her watch." She then wore her cap and proceeded to leave with the rest of her platoon in search of a better house to stay in for the night.

Maki was immediately restrained by one of them; her face turned white as she saw the other one fix a bayonet to the rifle, and then proceeded to come near her mom. Maki was flailing madly, but the soldier's grip was so strong that she felt very weak fighting against it.

She can do nothing but beg for mercy to spare her mother's life. But slowly, the soldier approached, its long silver blade glittering under the fluorescent lights. Her mother was still kneeling down, paralyzed by the pain which jolted through her senses.

Her eyes were streaming with tears, her cheeks flushed with red as though she ate something bitter. Maki did everything she could to get loose of the grip, but he was just too strong.

She cursed herself for being weak, but when she turned her head to the one restraining her, he had tears on his eyes. Because of this, she realized: _That these kinds of people have hearts, too, but they were forced to do the bidding of a superior who had a darkened soul._

Maki then shifted her gaze to the one wielding the bayonet. She paled in fear, for this one was different. The pupils are red, like the blood spilt for this land. Only this time it was permanent, never to be washed off by even the strongest detergents known to man; glaring out in determination like a dog that had already found a prey to devour.

She looked towards her mother who was still clutching her stomach tightly, howling in bitter agony. The young lass saw her clearly suffering, letting out stream of tears from her puffy violet eyes.

The same eyes that she always sees encouraging her to fight on, then lulls her back to sleep when she is tired, and the one that gives her inspiration to follow her dreams.

But now, it had lost its lustre; those once beautiful lilac eyes her mother used to brighten up her day were replaced with those of a condemned person who had lost all hope.

This time, the executioner was in front of her, now aiming the bayonet's sharp tip on her collar. But before the deadly blow was to be delivered, soothing words were spoken to reassure the condemned: "The pain will only last for a while, hang on."

Maki was surprised at what she heard, for it sounded like a child who reassured her mother that everything would be alright.

When the time came for her to go and after hearing the soldier's words, her smile returned once more; as she realized that she'll be reunited with the man she missed so dearly.

She looked at her beloved child one last time, this time with a smile paired with eyes that were once again glimmering with hope. And then she said her last words; causing the grunt behind the child to whimper in despair.

"Maki, I'm sorry that I should leave you. I guess it's time for me to go; but don't worry my child, for we will always watch over you.

I love you. You'll always be my little baby. And I will always be proud of you. Never give up on your dreams, for someday you will be the brightest star in the sky. Stay strong, Mother is going to get her wings now. . . Goodbye."

She then hung her head to expose an easier entry to the heart. Maki flailed even more wildly than before, but she could not let herself loose because of the strong grip by the guy behind her. All that she could do was to scream, with tears running down her eyes still begging to spare her mother's life. She saw her mother breathe her last gasp, and then...

 **The fatal blow struck.**

"MOM! NO!"

The knife went through her neck into her heart, and then the soldier yanked it in some more, then pulled it out with a horrendous thud; after which blood dripped onto the bright green carpet.

Maki was released from the grip afterwards, and quickly went to her mother's side embracing her with all her strength. She could feel her life slipping away, her heartbeat getting weaker, her bleeding body getting colder as seconds passed by, her now closed eyes still has tears dripping out of it.

But a gentle smile still remained on her beautiful face, as though she was finally at peace.

Upon seeing this, the one that restrained her dropped his handkerchief by her side, trying to comfort the child who was weeping beside her dying mother. That was all he could do to show his sympathy, then left the scene wiping his tears with a sleeve.

"Mom, please answer me! Mom!"She cried frantically waiting for her to give a response, but none came.

"Mom, I love you! And I am sorry! I didn't do anything to help you! I love you mom! Please... Don't leave me!"

She then felt her exhale her last breath, and died in her daughter's arms.

She did not know what to do. She realized that the one she holds dear was gone, her once loving mother who cared for her when she was young, who kissed her cheeks and embraced her when she had reached home and supported her long after her father was gone is now lying dead on her arms. For the first time she had seen someone die right in front of her eyes, and she never thought of all people that it would be her own mother.

 _Why? But How . . ._

Losing all sense of reason, she slowly stood up and faced the one who took her mother's life. Her hair was already sprawled up on her once vibrant face, revealing a pair amethyst orbs filled to the brim with hate and regret.

"What have I done to deserve this? I lost everyone I loved and she was the only one that I have left, and still you took her away from me? Why?" she asked with a shaky voice, her bloodied arms hung limp like those of a ghoul.

The murderer didn't react, her crimson eyes still staring at violet ones that took on a darker hue because of rage. Those eyes, once held by an innocent girl who just wanted to make the world happy with her music was now corrupted and hungry for vengeance over her mother's death.

"I will never forgive you; I will hunt you down and kill you. I will not stop until all of your kind is wiped off clean on the face of this earth!"

She declared with a voice full of hatred, and picked the knife up then lashed out towards the soldier. She swung it violently, but to no avail. The murderer just dodged each and every strike, never retaliating, the killer's ruby ones still staring right through her.

Then she felt her legs are getting heavier, her hands numbing at every futile strike. But she kept on slashing until she fell on the floor, and crawled like a snake; still determined to have her revenge.

But her vision was failing, and she cried out in pain for everyone she holds dear are all gone, taken away from her by Yamato's might.

She then saw the soldier's pair of boots walking towards her and hoped that the executioner would end her misery, so she could be reunited with her family and see their beautiful smiles once more.

With her last ounce of strength, she reached out towards the red eyed girl.

 _God . . . How could you let me suffer like this?_

Then everything faded to black.

A day later she woke up at the hospital, her head still ached very badly. She looked at her hand and saw that it was holding onto something, a crimson red ribbon which will serve as a reminder for her until this day.

Puzzled, she searched around and asked the nurse about who brought her in the hospital and she answered: "A soldier brought you here, and requested me to give this to you if you wake up."

The nurse then reached for her pocket and gave Maki a ticket; and the girl couldn't believe that she was still alive, vowing to have her revenge someday.

A ship's ticket and a scarlet ribbon; from the person who broke her wings.

* * *

Epilogue

It was already getting dark as the sun retired to its place of rest, and after she told everything to her friend; she asked her to leave and lay on her grandmother's bed, still deep in grief at her passing.

Heeding her friend's wish, Eli left; but places the two cubs right beside her trusted sergeant before leaving the room with a heavy heart.

"Maki." She mumbled as she closed the door behind her, still trying to comprehend the pain and blistering agony the redhead had carried all through these years under her mask.

The blonde then saw something flash on a distance, and looked through the window which gave her a view of the city's skyline; taking in a brighter hue as the stars took its place.

Her cerulean eyes gleamed when she saw fireworks shooting up then spews colourful sparks into the starlit sky; but her mind still returned to her friend who was still deep in sorrow.

 _I must let her see this._

Gathering her wits, she opened the door; but sighed when she saw the redhead sleeping like a child, hugging the teddy bear close to her chest.

Seeing this, the lieutenant flashed a compassionate smile; then took her coat off and draped it over her friend's body to keep her nice and warm from the chilly Christmas air.

"I am thankful to find a friend like you, who had always been by my side no matter how childish I am . . . guiding me even if I clearly hurt your feelings, and cheering me up even in the darkest of days."

Eli averted her gaze towards the stained glass and looked at the white sun that was once hidden from sight; but shows up as the vermillion rays and the phosphorescent beam struck its surface, taking her hat off as a sign of respect to the land that was once her friend's beloved home.

The blonde then looked at her friend, then whispered "If you think you are a lost child, I guess that makes the two of us." and left, to see the city that was just getting lively as soon as the moon took its perch.

* * *

Last Note:

The battle of Shanghai was the first of many during the Second Sino Japanese War, caused by an incident which took the life of a Lieutenant who was ambushed by Chinese Communist party troops.


	6. End of Act One

Note: I spent the valentines just eating pizza while watching at pairs smooching right beside me . . . feels kinda awkward but, hey . . . more food for me! :D

(Feels guilty for being a lurker.)

This experience also made me think: What am I doing with my life?

(Aside from munching on cheese and pepperoni)

Oh well, I guess love can wait. :)

(Until I could establish myself with finances.)

Disclaimer: I do not own love live, and feel free to leave a message! For man, I need to improve on my writing too! Thanks!

* * *

 **End of Act 1**

 **Chapter 6: A Moment's Reprieve**

 _A city of lights, something I always longed to step onto since I was young._

Sapphire orbs glimmered with hope as the cobbled streets bursts into colours with neon lights; its rooftops and sides chocked with billboards of all shapes and sizes, sporting yellow, green and reddish bulbs, alternating in sequence as she stared.

"So this is how Maki's world looks like when the sun sets?" She struts through a boulevard filled with shops of various scales; all selling their wares behind a layer of thick glass, and making her smile as she saw her reflection, tees and all.

"Khorosho . . ." she mused when she saw the Bay's fireworks rising through her crown; its radiant streaks darting through the faint band of tangerine rays, a final hurrah of a momentous day in the life of this young blonde.

Kids ran around, while their parents shared a smile as their little tots asked some questions like, "Mom, can I keep it please?" followed by "No honey, you aren't eighteen yet."

Cars buzzed by, carrying with it gentlemen clad in leather and black with their mistresses wearing elegant fur coats hiding a flashy haut dress; shining in all its glory as it passed by the faint ochre glow of the old Spanish posts by the sides.

Saxophones, drums, and the soothing melody of a piano's blatant crescendo filled the world around her with its lively jive; as people from all walks of life take to the streets to take a whiff of its generous bounty after a day of hard work.

Alcohol was rife, and were consumed in abundance within their glossy mugs; while cigarettes were a vice best shared amongst the poor and elites, heaving up some greyish white smoke as they sat by the road.

Barriers were torn down as they delved deeper into the pit of excess; as Asians, Caucasians, and even Blacks became brethrens with a common goal_ roving in bands as they hopped from one bar to another as the question of race is buried under their lively innuendos. Seeing this made her heart flutter with glee as she giggled on, as their hoarse sea dog choruses filled the air with some drunken and vulgar tunes.

The night is young, but Eli is determined to get the most of it.

"Balut!" A man yelled as he peddled through with a basket tied behind his bicycle's rack, "Taho!" Another one exclaimed as he shoulders two large buckets of the soya curd, resembling like a tortoise as he toiled to gather some sales.

Soldiers, Bankers, and Civilians alike shared the happiness this nightlife could offer; and if they can't even afford it, they'll just go into a dance parlour in hopes of having a promiscuous relationship with one of the girls.

There's no love between the this seemingly solemn bond, only a fat wallet filled with hard earned cash could already suffice a night's worth of journeying into the gates of utter bliss.

 _Lewd, yet exquisite . . ._ She thought while passing through the rows of seemingly high end girls; all groomed with fancy dresses for a night of rump, on a city whose real colours had finally showed up under the moonlit sky.

Christmas lanterns which looked like stars lined the avenue, and the Lieutenant just marvelled at the handcrafted wonders; a testament at how hopeful its creators were for another new year, mirrored by these objects formed by sticks and paper.

It was indeed Chinatown, as red oval lanterns hovered above her head; suspended in mid air by a very thin line which ran through faced apartments. Its gloomy facade of crumbling bricks, mortar, and cracks seemed to disappear as Yuletide's inevitable cheer overwhelmed its hoary guise.

But with all these joyous displays of light and people giving in to this season's nostalgic whim; the negativity stayed, but were hidden within a dank world which was emulated by the dark alleyways which cut its way through the niches between walls.

She looked to her left, and a man is smoking a pipe filled with weed; the blonde knew this for a fact for she's not a stranger to these hallucinogenic drugs, as Mountain province ranks at the topmost tier because of it being surrounded by a seemingly endless sea of mountains and hidden estuaries where it could flourish and bloom.

His eyes were bloodshot red with his face so weary, further evidenced by its otherworldly sag and a grimacing jaunt; painting a shady picture that every habit dies hard even in the harshest of crackdowns, for being caught with just its shredded leaves is equal to life without any hopes of seeing the radiant rays of freedom.

Then, a thought came to mind; and it was about her faithful sergeant. _She told me that she hung around with solvent boys . . . Oh dear, does that mean . . .?_ Her eyes widened as she imagined her sniffing a paper bag full of rubber cement; causing her to shudder by the spine.

"Who came up with that kind of use for such innocent rubberized glue?"

She cringed and took a final glimpse of the man as he enjoyed himself with his double edged vice, then felt rather cold as a gust of wind touched her nape; making the blonde walk at a faster pace as there is more to see on this strange new land.

People rubbed elbows against hers as they passed, and Eli wheezed at each broadside she received; but still soldiered on, as the thought of fulfilling her wish of exploring this world far outweighed that of utter discomfort.

Then something caught her eye, a small bar at the district's edge; and unlike the others which flashed its trademark name with the services it offered, this one seemed to be out of place, as there were almost no customers there except two shady persons who wore leather trench coats and wide brimmed hats.

Curious, she pried the door open which caused it to chime, and the personas glared at her with their eyes hidden from sight by bottle cap sunglasses; a rather unusual article of clothing in this time of night.

A very suspicious one indeed, for it meant either they were crack users, pushers, or enemy spies.

Sensing that it meant trouble, the two excused themselves to the bartender and calmly walked past her; while the blonde gave off a stare filled with utter suspicion.

A very bad thing to do, considering that she's just a guest to this city; but this gal didn't even have the slightest idea of a word called "backing down."

"Oh! Finally a customer!" The bartender beamed, and based on the pitch of her voice; Eli concluded that it was consistent of a teen ager, facing the source of it, she sees a petite sable haired lass who tied it to a right sided ponytail with a red ribbon, while wearing only a polo shirt with a neat bowtie above her chest.

 _She's also a bit yellow . . . something tells me that she could be Japanese._

But as she scanned her entirety of the figure without considering the latter who was spooked out by the way she stared; she had also found out that her subject possesses a very shapely figure with an unearthly bust, rivalling hers by a cup.

Grinning like a jackal under her hand, Eli just shrugged it off and thought: _Kids these days._

Picking a place which she could further observe this person who raised a shadow of a doubt, she latched onto her hazel eyes and said: "Do you serve something else here other than alcoholic ones?"

Taking a slate from the corner, she replied: "Here."

The blonde received it accordingly and panned her eyes through names which sounded quite outlandish by her standards.

 _Kimchi, Bibimbap, Donkatsu, Jjampong, Hansin Pocha, Tteokbokki . . ._ And stopped when she sees something which could be a dead giveaway of her host's nationality.

 _Wait, tea?!_

She then stole a glimpse at the hostess who had already turned around and busied herself at cleaning shot glasses lined neatly by the shelf.

 _Tea . . . as far as I could remember, the prolific drinkers of this thing are either those from the orient and the British._

Thinking that she had already chosen her dish, Eli called for the gal's attention.

"Hey, I'd like to have this one." She pointed out to a word which read Donkatsu.

Seeing this, the bartender raised a brow and knocked at the wall; by which a male voice yelled out: "What?!"

Eli then slumped by the counter as she felt really tired of travelling; and thought of taking a nap as the host and her cook exchanged some unrecognizable words which sounded more like a cussing session due to their tones.

"Oppa! I agmaneun jasal eul keomishagi sip-eo!" (Big brother! This demon wants to commit suicide!) She hollered, by which he opened the slit and took a peek at Eli who looked like she needed a very good wake up call.

Rolling his tanned pupils to his sister's he snarled: "What did she order?"

"Donkatsu."

His eyes narrowed after learning it; and with a quick slide, closed the window to resume his work.

Meanwhile, the girl turned her attention once more to the customer who looked really tired; and walks out the counter and sat beside to strike a conversation while waiting for the order to be served.

"Hey." She cooed.

Eli snapped off her dreamy gaze and reciprocates with a smile: "What's up?"

The raven took her bowtie off together with the red ribbon on her hair; as it was already too late, and they were supposed to call it a day if it wasn't for this unusual customer of theirs barging in.

"You must be from the Navy." She stared into her sapphire orbs and continued on: "I could tell from your uniform, for the Army wears only denims in blue."

The blonde nodded from the girl's inference and inquired, "Do you have any relatives serving round here?" while propping against her palm.

She averted her gaze from the customer and looked at a certain boxed ornament displayed near the line of shot glasses; a small brass anchor with a cherry blossoming at its centre, encased under a thin sheet of glass with the background of pure crimson.

"Yes . . . But sadly, I can't tell you where." She muttered and looked at her with a smirk.

Thinking that she's already intruding on this lass' personal life; Eli just responded with a smile in kind and said, "I understand."

The two then exchanged some awkward stares once more, and luckily; the food was already cooked, carried by the chef who was surprisingly younger than the bartender.

 _Woah, I even thought child labor is illegal._

"Donkatsu with a side dish of kimchi and milk, just as you had requested ma'am." He calmly explained while placing it in front of Eli who was really hungry and tired after a day's worth of travel.

Eli couldn't help but cackle when she realized that it's just breaded pork chops; but her nose sort of told her that the spice filled fumes coming from the dish is quite deadly to say the least.

As she drooled at its enticing guise, the bartender looked at her sibling and ordered him to get some more milk from the fridge.

"Man, it sucks to be the youngest." He whined, by which the sister snarled: "Deal with it."

With a very ticked off groan he turned around, and walked back to the kitchen grumbling like an grumpy old man.

She then gave a lopsided smile when she saw how hyped the blonde was, moaning as she took a whiff of the sizzling hot dish served with a side dish of shredded cabbage; and sprinkled with diced onions.

But then, the door suddenly chimed as another persona entered their humble abode; a girl which sort of looked like her with the same hazel eyes and side ponytail, except that its tied by a yellow one as opposed to hers.

"You're already late, and where's mom?" She snarled, by which the newcomer retorts: "That's no way to speak to me, I'm older than you."

Crossing arms, the sibling then tried to stand her ground. "So what? You had this one job and that is to help Mom with the groceries."

"She told me to come home, so I did."

Standing up from the stool, she pushed her sister to a corner and faced her squarely: "You're so lazy you know that? I'm going to search and escort her home. Now please be kind, and watch our customer while I'm gone . . . I hope you won't screw up this time for she ordered a very hot one, are we clear?"

The eldest one of the trio just blew her bangs and nonchalantly replied: "Yeah, whatever."

She then walks out the bar, leaving Eli to be entertained by the newcomer who then warned her not to eat in large gulps; but rather, take it slow and ingest a lot of milk that had just arrived in time for her to start.

"Okaa-san . . . I wish you're not repenting on your deeds again." The sibling whispered to the wind while removing the lenses which impeded her vision so dearly.

* * *

On a silent corner of the district; a lonely soul sat by a stream, staring at the sky that was filled by surreal sparks of bright ochre and red scattering under its starlit veil.

She considered this as a place of refuge, and each night when the moon is full; her feet tend to lead her here, as if drawn into its serene ambience amidst the woes of life on the city where money, corruption, and drugs speak volumes rather than morality itself.

A place where she could find peace, together with those she considered as her "children" who immigrated here during the tumultuous times that lead to the second Sino-Japanese war; a conflict which she had a role at escalating it further to the bloodbath it's now known.

Hugging her legs to ease her torment, she wished for a day that her country may be free from their iron grip; but deep within her demented soul, guilt had already taken its toll.

 _I saw it all. The torment, the suffering I caused to others . . . It's a wonder that I'm still alive until now._

Her guise was that of a meek little lamb; an innocent creature who hoped for nothing more than living a normal life together with her family and friends, on a nation that had a history of being passed on from one conqueror to the other like it was nothing more than a matter of inheritance.

Her voice was subtle and pure, and her name says it all: Hanayo, meaning world of flowers.

Yet her deeds were as dubious as the Empire which ruled their land; as she was responsible for the death of thousands from the wispy gas which burned the eyes and throats of everything it touched, and something else which is the product of a project that was abandoned by the Soviets due to its questionable and devastating results upon those who were part of it.

 _Matryoshka._

Horror . . . That is the only thing she felt after staring straight into the eyes of the beast she unleashed; a blood thirsty demon hidden under the mask of an innocent child, whose crimson eyes and unparalleled savagery sowed fear amongst everyone it faced.

It roamed the battlefields of Central China, and was known by many names; but there was one that stood above the rest, a moniker that clearly defined its general characteristic . . .

Those eyes, the first thing the victim sees, and also the very last.

Akame she was called, literally referring to those pair of malicious ruby orbs.

Born from a well to do family on the district of Gangnam-gu, Seoul; Hanayo was raised to be a genius, as her father was a teacher while her mother is a cook who owned a small shop by the Han River.

As a child, she never had friends; spending hours upon hours on studying every book kept by the patriarch, only stopping to attend class and do her life functions.

Because of this, Hanayo was shunned by everyone at school; causing an incurable tear within her soul. But it all changed when she found a pair of trustworthy friends; which was sadly, an enemy of her people just because they're both Japanese immigrants.

Upon learning that their child is spending time with the Imperial demons; they immediately warned her not to associate with them and yes she did, much to the tot's utter despair.

She just wondered why her parents hated them so much up until she almost finished high school, when the reasons became clear after they were arrested for plotting against the Army's chief; devastating her to the core when she learned that her father led a double life of a Nationalist agent, while her mother is a Communist sympathizer, united against a common enemy.

Hanayo wasn't interested on such ideals, but just like any good daughter there was; she tried to save them from their gruesome demise in the hands of the overall leader of the Choseon Army, a man who would one day lead a nation through their darkest hours.

Casting her fears away, she searched her father's books for anything she could do to convince the wily general; and just her luck, for behind a rug which depicted "the lady and the unicorn" laid a safe where a secret document was hidden, and would someday serve as the key for her mission's success. . .

And a lifetime of regrets.

"What have I done . . ." Her lilac eyes had a glint of tears as she sulked by the sides, thinking of how blind she was to serve her interests rather than oversee the far reaching consequences of her actions.

"I was just trying to save them from harm. Yet I ended up robbing everyone else of their loved ones."

 _Orphans . . . A by product of what I've done, I'm sure some of the people around here were orphaned by one of my creations._

She then closed her eyes and listened to the sullen breeze as it blew past the swaying blades of grass; while the stream's tranquil whispers soothed her soul, as it passed through its pebbles which made it sound surreal.

 _Silence, a worthy companion to a madman like me . . . and since I came to this, Akame's voice didn't dare to follow me anymore._

Neon lights flashed at a distance, together with trumpets and elegant cars which dissipated to nothing more than a furlong blur.

Rows of mahogany and scattered palms loomed right beside the bewildered lass, all sharing the same scenery as crickets chirped by.

Now that she felt at peace with her heart hunkering down to a calm overture, She picked something from her pocket; a pair of keychains which she hid as a memento from her friends.

The brunette gave off a very innocent cackle as she dangled it before her; one being a scaled down version of a fortune cat, and the other a purple heart.

It's a sad thing though, that she chose to obey her father's wishes rather than stand for the sake of friendship; a decision that was quite reasonable in a way, but marred the surface of her tell tale heart.

"Rin . . . Erena . . . I miss the lot of you." She muttered, and lay down on the bed of grass; staring at the moon and its stars, hoping that one of them fell to earth to grant her wish.

She met these two wonderful people during her years in elementary; both of them transferring to Korea because their fathers were soldiers, something which her father loathed the most.

He can't be blamed though, for the reputation of the Imperial troops isn't that really pleasant to hear at all; as her countrymen hated the way they treated them, for their arrogance ran high_ coupled by the atrocious deeds they had committed in the Empire's name.

But her friends were different, as they were properly reared by their parents to be good towards the locals; and when Hanayo was able to meet them in person, they were the kindest people she had ever known, breaking her belief that was implanted by her very own flesh and blood.

 _Judging people by their allegiances isn't the best thing to do at all, for good ones still exist amongst the rotten apples of the group._

Then as she delved deeper into her thoughts, the brunette gave off a grin as finally; a shooting star darted past, it was sudden, but she was able to make a wish off it before it disappeared into the blot of scattered dots.

"I wish they do well right now, but I hope they had forgotten about me . . . for I am a monster unworthy of their attention."

As soon as she muttered those words, Hanayo felt really sad at being a jerk; as after the day she was warned by her father, she closed her doors and pretended not listen even if they called her name.

"Kayo-chin! Let's play tag! Rin will be it!" A very high pitched voice hollered out from the depths of her mind, followed by another which sounded rather calm and composed.

"Rin, we don't have a chance against you in this game."

"Aww, Erena you downer! You're no fun at all!"

She rolled by the side and tried to hide her despair, but was hushed when she saw a lowly cricket; whose beady eyes had already stared through hers.

"Oh, hi little one."

The brunette then extended a palm to let it crawl in, and indeed it did; and Hanayo felt her joy had returned to soothe her guilt.

It then scurried around for a bit and rubbed its wings by its barbed leg; chirping a lively tune for her newfound friend.

Then, on the other bank of the stream; a company of fireflies appeared and danced with the cricket's solemn melody, its absinthe lights mimicking the blades of grass as it waved against the tranquil breeze.

But then, her happiness was wiped off once more when she felt a very sharp chill down her spine.

Gently putting the little creature to let it scurry away to safety, she turned to face the source of the unearthly gust and saw a very familiar person descending down the dike's flight of stairs.

"Peaceful isn't it?" The voice sounded quaint yet dead; and Hanayo felt terror as she recognized those pair of crimson orbs spaced neatly at its partially shaded face, which also revealed a maniacal smile that was comprised of shark like teeth.

 _A-Akame?!_

"You'll never find happiness."

She squirmed after hearing those words; and soon, her eyesight blurred with only the conceived tormentor imposing itself upon the landscape.

"N-no, get away from me!" The brunette rebuked the apparition and crawled away, but to no avail as it slowly approached with its heavy breathing and inaudible whispers.

Taking a quick look at her tormentor, She felt her fears were further intensified when she realized that it was indeed her creation, a person wearing the tattered uniform of the Imperial Army, carrying with it a bayonet that was as long as a samurai's tanto.

Hanayo's mind then went numb from the overwhelming stench of death and decay as it drew near; churning up the contents of her stomach by which she duly expelled.

"You created me, yet you don't have the guts to face me?"

In hopes of avoiding the gruesome fate that was about to be delivered by the beast; she ignored the uncomfortable situation she's in and crawled with all her strength, but the demon came closer, and closer . . . that Hanayo felt her nape's fur stood on end from the eerie chill of the air.

Sensing that all is lost; she curled up and closed her eyes shut, crying streams as she felt her life is coming to an end.

"Nico! P-please have m-mercy on me! I'm sorry! Please leave me alone! I-I'm sorry!" She whined, crying streams down her flustered cheeks.

Then, it seemed the footstep stopped right beside her, but instead of the piercing pain she expects from the blade; it was replaced by that of a gentle tap onto her shoulder, making her look up and see that it was just someone that didn't mean her any harm.

For a moment, she ogled at the girl's silhouette; and a few moments later she recognized those curves and that rather large bust wherein she cried "Cocoa?!"

The lass just smiled at her and gently whined to ease her nerves: "Yes, Okaa-san. It's me alright, and I'm here to carry you home."

Picking up her mother from the dirt, she dusted her up and offered a piggyback by bending over; something which the latter objected in doing so, for it made her look like a helpless old hag.

"Come on, I can't wait all day for you to ride me!" Cocoa exclaimed, by which she tried to reprimand her for not introducing herself before ascending towards the scientist's only place of recollection.

"Cocoa . . ."

The raven looked back at her and chimed, "Yes Okaa-san?"

Hanayo suddenly took hold of her ear, causing the girl to howl out: "Itai! Itai! It hurts! Please let me go!"

"Next time, make yourself known! You almost gave me a heart attack back there!" She yelled to her ear.

"Okay, okay! Just please let me go!"

Satisfied by the result, she lets go of Cocoa's reddened ear; and continued on with her little lecture.

"Haven't you realized that my vision is kind of blurry? That's why I wear these glasses for pete's sake!"

After a moment of rubbing her afflicted lobe, Cocoa faced her foster mother and gave off a bow as an apology for her mistake.

"I'm sorry then, but I was really calling out to you . . ." She reasoned out then returned to alleviate the pain on her ear by rubbing it with haste.

Hearing the girl's alibi, the brunette's pupils shrunk; as it became clear that Akame's voice had returned to haunt her once more.

 _I . . . I thought . . . That means, this could be a sign._

Seeing her mom's sudden pause, the raven haired lass gave an embrace ease her bewilderment; as she also realized the way the latter acted when she was drawing near her.

Leaning in to her mother's ear, Cocoa gently whispered: "Is it true that Onee-chan disappeared during the night of December the first?"

She then withdrew and waited for her reaction, but before the latter could answer; something reflected itself on the cascading stream, which then casts its dark shadow as it flew above their heads.

Looking up, she saw twin engine aircraft lumbering about in the skies; humming a very solemn tune, followed by tiny dots whose piercing shrieks sounded like a mosquito eager to strike its prey.

It was too high for her to recognize it, but for Hanayo; it became clear, the Japanese are making their move, and their trump card was transferred to serve their cause in the nation dubbed as the pearl of the orient.

"Cocoa." She stuttered, but the girl was still dumbfounded by the spectacle and just responded without averting her gaze at the unearthly sight hovering above the clouds.

"W-what is it?"

"Tell the organization, it's time to mobilize."

 _What has the world come to? Is this going to be another war to be fought in this land?_

* * *

Tokyo, Japan

A large black car darted past crowds of people lined up by the streets, controlled by guards that wore their distinctive dark brown uniforms and black marchers; all standing on attention as they passed.

"Banzai! Banzai!" They hollered out in unison, all the while lifting their nation's flag in hand; while the soldiers also raised their rifles at the news of their nation waging war against the great evil which once encroached and wrought much suffering upon their land.

But behind the stained glass where only traces of light could be seen, is a man dressed in a darker shade of green; his collar insignia flashing out three stars with a cherry blossom at its leading ends, and a pair of very fine red lines running horizontally above and below its yellow background.

His rank is known as Dai Gensui- Rikugun Taisho, or also known as the Grand Field Marshal of the notorious Imperial Army whose reputation far exceeded its brutal deeds.

A rank held only by that lower than the Emperor himself, by a man known as the razor general due to his ruthless demeanour when it comes to matters of the state; and is also the proud father of a girl which grew curious strands of purplish locks.

He just sat there, staring at his trivial guise which was further embossed by a bushy moustache and turquoise eyes; glaring behind a pair of round glasses which hovered above a malicious grin.

Bored, he picks a cigar from a tray which was lit up accordingly by his faithful aide; a kempei who took his place as Pyongyang's ruthless overlord.

A viper hidden amongst a seemingly harmless bunch of roses, coupled with a smile which seethed evil from within; a vile seductress who used her unnatural gift of beauty to lure her lovers into a trap, a trait which won the favour of the man who is now the premier of Yamato.

Puffing out some smoke; he rolled his eyes towards this woman, whose characteristic absinthe eyes and seemingly angelic face glared under the ambient lights.

"Taisho, I congratulate you from the bottom of my heart." The kempei mused, and the minister couldn't help but cackle at the thought of him snatching the opportunity flat from his opponent's hands.

"No Kira, It is your diligent work which puts me where I am today." He retorts, then wore his peaked cap which bore the golden star of the IJA; a branch that had always been close to his heart.

For at last they had arrived at the venue for his speech, a radio station that would fittingly spread his own brand of propaganda; but before he goes out to deliver, General Tojo looked back at his trusted lieutenant and asked.

"So, what do you think of the Philippines?"

Kira smirked at his question and replied, "Whatever you ask of me, master . . . I will gladly obey," then finishing it off with an insidious burst of laughter.

* * *

Bashi Channel- Near the Island of Batan, Philippines

"What's taking her so long?"

Seconds ticked by the watch's white face, and a certain Lieutenant General waited for her most trusted aide to arrive as the meeting is about to start within the riveted walls of their ship.

Fed up by the delay, she picked a slice of bread from her pocket; duly nibbling at its yeasty goodness and moaned as it melted within her mouth.

All the staff members were already there, all seated at their glazed mahogany chairs. They wore the respective uniforms of their branches; but this time, all had black collars and cuffs, embroidered with laurels as opposed to the grunt's own.

A large flag of the Rising Sun is occupies the wall behind the general's chair, a seat reserved for a lady like her as it resembled a throne, with velvet cushions and pads for her to lean on.

As she struts towards her place that is found at the very edge of the hall; a colonel entered through the iron hide door, clothed in a darker shade of green_ the signature motif of the navy's elite landing forces.

Seeing that her aide had finally arrived, she drew a slight curve on her lips; but at the same time, disappointed that the lady in charge of the marines as she had known isn't the type of person who disregards the scheduled time, making her wonder:

"It's a miracle that you had arrived late for our final meeting . . ."

The ginger sharpened her glare against the subordinate's hazel orbs and muttered her name with an affectionate ring to it.

"Sonoda."

The colonel responded with an arrogant smirk and quipped: "Gomen Kousaka Taisho, I was just busy taking care of business."

"Apology accepted." Honoka mused then sat on her throne; while her friend stood beside with the sheathed sword being held like a cane.

And with a swift stomp, all the generals stood from their seats in unison and gave a courteous bow at the iron ladies up front.

Impressed by the act, the general of the 14th Army interlocked her fingers and perched upon it; while all of them stared at the ginger's sapphire orbs which gleamed as it was struck by the moonlight's shade.

But instead of going through with her order of business, Honoka first took a glimpse at the vast expanse of sea melting against the star spangled sky behind a film of glass; thinking of a dear friend who's also on her way to fulfill the mission tasked upon her.

After breathing out a sigh, she mumbled: "Kotori, I wish you well on your journey. . . With regards from me and Umi."

* * *

Kota Bharu, Malaya

The sea is silent and tranquil that fateful night, as a surreal breeze blew over the palm lined beach; causing it to wave in rhythm as it passed.

Surreal and beautiful at its best, it looked like an idyllic scene; but it soon became clear that it isn't the case as footsteps littered its powdery white sands, coupled by rows of barges moored by the shore.

With sheer resolve and dedication for their cause, the soldiers moved cautiously in loose formation under the silhouette of looming trees and a patchwork of dying leaves, determined to carry out their missions until their final breath.

Only the distant barks of a common dog and the sound of their foot crushing the littered floor gave them only a meagre sense of serenity; for tomorrow, some of them may never return to see their families again.

Officers led the way with katanas glared, draped in sage with sable boots; while grunts followed suit with bayonets bare, all tanned with the exception of their cotton strips which were tied onto their legs which were olive green.

To further distinguish them from the rest of the strike force, all of them had a brass anchor by their helmets; and these men are no pushovers at all, for they fought almost all their lives from the tumultuous streets during Yamato's civil strife; to the fields of China where most of their friends had likely perished right in front of their eyes.

But now they are sent to fight on another front, risking their lives for a cause they deemed truthful and just.

Meanwhile, as the troops massed upon the beaches; a young lady dressed with a greatcoat stared at a distance as it proceeded without a hitch, leaning against the ship's railings with a face which was as calm and dreamy like that of a sheep.

She couldn't believe at the kind of luck bestowed upon her, for hours before; the landings were almost cancelled because of the resistance offered by the Siamese forces whose borders extended to the north of this Malayan peninsula.

Picking up a pocket watch, she stared as the seconds ticked by; and smiled as the bombers arrived just in time to cover her army's advance.

"Just as planned." She cooed while flicking its lid; and watched as the bombs fell at the Commonwealth positions inland, thundering and beaming off flashes of light, followed by a billowing pillar of smoke and dreary embers.

Her honey glazed orbs showed a hint of fear and remorse; but she was bound by the orders from General Headquarters in Saigon, led by an audacious Field Marshal who is ironically, no other than her mother, Gensui. Tomoko Minami.

But she's not bothered by it anyway; as the lass clearly understands that the bond between mother and child is non-existent when it comes to professions which demanded utter disregard for familial ties, and what matters the most is to perform the assigned task successfully and without further delays.

For her mission is vital to the success of the entire expeditionary forces; as the 25th was tasked to seize the oil reserves of Malaya, together with its crown jewel: Singapore.

A monumental task indeed, as her corps only numbered a quarter of what the British Commonwealth could easily expend at a moment's notice; so it's simply a race against time before the Royals annihilate her troops by a vicious counterattack.

"Taisho." A male voice called from behind, and Kotori turned around to see his aide who presented her a letter coming from her dearest friend.

 _Honoka . . ._ Taking it from his hand, she gave him a smile; by which he replied with a nod and went his way.

 _It's been a while since I saw your handwriting . . . and It had never changed since we were there in Korea._

The lass excitedly opened it up and read its contents, shedding a tear as it was really the ginger's own; all cursive and unreadable at most.

"I'm so proud of you being promoted, and I also wish for your success together with our blue haired friend." The brunette remarked, and looked at the full moon surrounded by a patch of dark clouds; humming a prayer that their mission will be met with resounding success.

* * *

Peleliu Island, Palau

As the world turns darker by the hour, a young soul lies down at the pearly white shores of this far flung island; purring gently as the subtle waves touched the tip of her shoes.

She stared out with awe at the myriad of stars blanketing the surreal sky; then smirked after remembering that it was also her family name_ Hoshizora, or starry sky.

 _It feels quite near, perhaps . . . I should try and take one for myself._

Reaching out for a grasp at the twinkling little dots, she gave off a laugh after realizing the frailty of it all; for just like the stars, her aspirations were all too high for her to reach, as she longed for nothing more than Korea to be free, and so, fulfilling her friend's long sought dream.

"Maybe someday . . . Just someday, it'll come true; and Kayo chin would be more than happy to return."

She then opened the belt's pouch and took a tiny memento of their long lost friendship; a keychain wherein a tiny riceball hung by.

Suspending it right in front of her chartreuse eyes, she followed it as it rocked back and forth like a pendulum; giggling from sheer delight as the thought of seeing her friend inspired her to go on, amidst the appalling conditions she faced during her years of service for the Empire.

Pure blooded Japanese by descent, she was Korean at heart; and couldn't stand the actions which her own kin had inflicted upon the locals, who are just dissatisfied at the way they ruled her new home.

Now, she's a lowly Ittohei or Superior soldier; a rank which fell under a sword wielding Gocho, and probably the only one she'll ever be stuck on for the rest of her career, as she was not gifted with influential family ties or the experience to be promoted to a higher level.

It felt rather cold as she rummaged through her thoughts; as she wore only a white cotton shirt with the red collar insignia possessing a trio of stars on it, coupled to the fact that she wasn't even issued a decent uniform as she was already considered a colonial, therefore only a pair of shorts, puttees, cap, and ankle boots were suffice for her lower status.

Discrimination is clearly evident amongst their ranks; as they were given reduced rations as opposed to those who were mainlanders, and her back had faint traces of lashings from her former officers who viewed her as nothing more than livestock for the slaughter.

But even though how severe her situation was, she still considers herself lucky; for now, Rin is assigned on a unit where their Japanese officer is a lot kinder than the others . . .

"Hey you friggin cat! Get your lazy ass over here! We're leaving this wretched island!" A very hoarse voice echoed out, snapping the ginger from her thoughts and causing the lass to spring back at her feet then snarl out in kind from the sudden intrusion:

"I'm coming fatso!"

Waiting for a reply, she giggled at how fate played out for her; taking a final glance of the star specked sky and mused:

"I'm coming for you Kayo chin, and Rin's going to carry you home."

After a short pause, the officer suddenly stomped from within the cast iron hull while yelling ever more furiously at her.

"God damn it Hoshizora! The ship's leaving at a few minutes! Hurry up and drive this fucking thing!"

Grimacing at her superior's irrational behaviour, she hid the chain on her pocket and ran towards the tank that was parked nearby; still holding onto a promise that one day, she and her best friend will return to their beloved land.

 _I won't give up on you, even if you've already turned your back on us._

* * *

As hell was pouring down Manila's port, a pair of lilac eyes glared from behind the stained glass; angry but at the same time worried about this land's fate which sort of resembled her former home's.

"So it begins." The redhead whispered as she narrowed her eyebrows upon the devastation caused upon the harbour; as desperate cries of disbelief and utter terror reverberated all around her.

Wasting no time, she thought about her naive superior who must be in trouble; holding her coat closer to her chest.

 _Eli, I must find her!_

Leaving the bears by the bed; she hurriedly opened the door and rushed through the darkened corridor, determined to find her friend no matter what happens.

"Damn it, can't she just stand at one place?" She whined, while making her way down the stairs which creaked as she went; but was making sure she wouldn't slip by looking at her steps.

Then as she was on the middle of her descent, she felt something really cold brushing past her face; causing her to stop dead on her tracks, and slowly lifted her head to see the source of it all.

"W-what the?" Maki's pupils widened when she saw someone standing at the stairwell's foot; but its face was incorrigible and the only thing she could discern is the pair of black moccasins and white socks.

Trying to ease her fear, she puts up a haughty facade; and continued her way, ignoring it completely as she sets her eye upon the doorway.

"I aint afraid of no ghost." the sergeant spat when she stood by it and was about to reach for its knob when it suddenly spoke up with a voice which she missed so dearly.

"Momo, please learn how to forgive . . . For I don't want to see you suffer dearly because of me."

She gasped when she recognized it as her mother's; causing her heart to flutter ever more furiously as sweat dripped down her brows, while a tiny droplet of tears bubbled at the corner of her eyes.

"M-mom?" She stammered, yet no response; forcing Maki to turn around and see if she's still there . . .

But her mother was nowhere to be found, making the redhead think that it was only her vivid imagination which tricked her into believing it was so.

"If it was really you mom, you know I can't do that . . ." She then opened the door to a scene where people were gathered by the street; staring with utter dismay as the fires spread throughout the bay side district with no hopes of extinguishment.

More fire trucks made their way towards the scene of the blistering inferno; furiously beating its bells to warn everyone to get out of the way. Neon lights died out as soon as she stepped out of her stead, and the only thing which guided her search for her missing friend was the moon's fading beams; as it was slowly engulfed by the dark clouds which hovered above Manila.

"I've been waiting for a very long time for this." She declared, before making a beeline to find the curious blonde.

* * *

"Cotaro! You fool! You gave her sour milk!" the eldest of the trio exclaimed, pointing at Eli who passed out from the intense spiciness of their dish.

The youngest one just took off the apron and slammed it in protest; reasoning out, "It wasn't my fault if you didn't remind her to eat in tinier chunks!" then puts his hand upon the blonde's neck in hopes of detecting a pulse.

Indeed there was, but her face is so flushed that he could feel the heat escaping from it.

"Damn it! I gotta see if there's milk left around here!" The boy couldn't bear the guilt of taking responsibility for the accident and dashed back to the kitchen; scouring through piles of cutlery which clanged violently.

"Idiot!" She snarled, by which Cotarou retorts: "Are you just going to watch her sizzle there or help me find the cure for it?!"

Cocoro just rolled her eyes, and was about to come into the kitchen when she felt the earth shaking under her feet; followed by a muffled blast and the sound of a fire truck ringing its bells in urgency.

The two were taken off guard, with Cocoro hiding underneath a table while Cotarou sealing himself inside a cabinet; scared to the core when the sirens suddenly blurted out its harrowing wails.

Meanwhile, Eli didn't feel a thing; for she's still knocked out cold from eating the pork cutlets like a greedy old man, sleeping like a child amidst the chaos unfolding over the windowsill.

People screamed at the horrific sight of a large fireball engulfing the warehouses within Manila Harbour; it was so bright that even those who lived on southernmost town of Mariveles Bataan saw the rising pile of smoke and the faint orange glow of the fire beneath it.

The Naval bases at Zambales and Cavite were subsequently bombed by the IJAAF, together with the airfields of Clark, and Iba, followed by the swift landings of the SNLF on the northernmost island of Batan to seize the airfields there.

It didn't shock Mac Arthur though, for he was already expecting a backhanded attack at his jurisdiction; all thanks to the efforts of different spy rings set on the major Imperial Colonies of Formosa, Korea, Manchuria, and Northern China.

Standing by Corregidor's mossy parapets, he and together with his group of dedicated staff watched as Yamato lay waste to their port facilities; but his face, unlike the rest, showed no sense of fear at all . . . for now, his nation's veil of neutrality is lifted by their dastardly attack hours earlier.

Taking a pipe off his pocket, the general poured some shreds to its bowl and lit it up for all to see; giving out a smirk as he puffed it off.

"Boys, it's time to enact battle plan orange." With that said, they turned their backs and returned to the confines of their panic room to coordinate with the local garrisons.

It is now clear that Japan is already making their first move on the islands; and the commander of the Armed forces got a memo after speaking with the President, stating that it had formally declared war against their land, a good two hours after Pearl.

There's no turning back as an Empire sets its eye on the nations of the East, pitting all their best divisions that saw combat from the desolate steppes of Mongolia to the gruelling urban warfare of Shanghai and the Chinese front; in hopes of conquering their neighbours before the eagle recovers from the crippling blow.

Now the storm had just begun, and their lives will intertwine with one another as the wheel of destiny spun upon its unstoppable course; as the world spiralled down into outright chaos.

* * *

Final Note:

I'm kind of bad at using underscores and well, grammar . . . uhm, can someone help me how to use it properly on a paragraph? Thanks! I'll gladly appreciate it! :)


	7. The Flowers of War

Mr. Winters, I will do my best! Thanks for reviewing! And oh, yes . . .I will put warnings just in case someone dies. And Ships, yes there is . . . but maybe later on the story. Thanks again! xD

Sorry if I had just updated . . . kind of busy at the moment. Oh, if there are errors please tell me . . . for I do need some room for improvement :)

Disclaimer: Love Live is the sole property of Sunrise.

* * *

 **Act 2: Flowers of War**

 _At the early hours of December the eighth, the Japanese Empire pulled off the unthinkable; challenging the might of a sleeping giant that lay at the far reaches of the Pacific, almost decimating its entire fleet stationed at Pearl Harbour. It had shattered the notion that such a small nation had the balls to wage war; and yet they did, much to the world's utter shock._

 _Then as if by clock work, the 15_ _th_ _Army marched into Thailand; engaging its troops for eight hours until an armistice was declared by their prime minister- Field Marshal Plaek Phibunsongkram who saw it as an opportunity to lash out against the neighbouring British colonies of Burma and Malaya._

 _Negotiating a treaty that the bordering territories of eastern Burma and northern provinces of Malaya be theirs, he and General Iida had reached upon an amicable settlement; under the condition that his forces will use their land as a staging post for further operations, and with it, a bond had been forged and the Royal Thai troops were distributed amongst the imperial ranks including that of the 25_ _th_ _._

 _Now with the help of a new ally, a detachment of Minami's forces landed unopposed on Thailand's southern frontier to assault the peninsula's west coast, while her main strike force were deployed at the northwest shores of Kota Bharu._

 _Wake Island and Guam were bombed simultaneously with Luzon, their air corps being equipped by planes far more agile and advanced that they simply wiped the adversaries off the skies and achieved superiority overnight._

 _The already deteriorating situation in China worsened as they renewed the ferocity of their attacks following the declaration of war; as fighting resumed on the fringes of Wuhan, but now with bolstered numbers and mechanized forces, almost crushing the KMT's resolve if it wasn't for the aid given by the west prior to pearl._

 _They also suffered dearly from the three alls policy of General Okamura; being "Kill all, Burn all, and Loot all" as retaliation to the Communist's hundred regiments offensive during the early days of the 1940's which threatened to wipe out his entire northern command. Villages were torched to the ground and thousands were slaughtered in cold blood just for the assumption that they're against the puppet government and the Japanese Empire._

 _Meanwhile in the home front, news of the sudden attack garnered enthusiastic zeal from the people; as an ecstatic Hibiki Tojo asked for the entire nation and their annexed territories to unite and fight in this "divine war of purification."_

 _But in reality, this is just a continuation of a decade long conflict which all started near a sleepy town found on the outskirts of Manchuria; where a group of rogue officers acting upon the concept of "gekkokujo" orchestrated an act of sabotage by trying to derail a section of track which ran through Mukden with hopes that the Empire would spring into action and claim the rich land of the Manchus, as they placed the blame on the nearby Chinese garrison of Beidaying._

 _Stupid and at the same time poorly executed, the blast failed to do any damage at all and a train just ran through it a few minutes later; but it had set a destructive domino effect in motion which rippled through the years, ending millions of lives together with their forlorn dreams._

 _It was during this seemingly unknown prologue where careers were made; forged in steel and mended with the blood of both the innocents and comrades alike, all for the hopes of glory, redemption, vengeance, or just plain bloodlust._

 _Fast forward a decade later, some of their battles were long over with wounds partially healed or forgotten; but their memories lived on and were embedded on the depths of their mind, manifesting itself on blatant nightmares which caused some to succumb into the spiralling abyss of insanity._

 _But amidst its harrowing cries and ghastly images was a reminder of the people they once were, and what they lost during the chaos which reined after the futile attempt to blow a section of rail._

* * *

 **Chapter 7: A Cherryblossom in a Rusted Anchor**

Nighttime's trivial hues of purple and grey slowly gave in to the radiant halos of ochre and red as it advanced above the endless expanse of tranquil sea. And like a painter's surreal masterpiece depicting a scenery of old; the sky's celestial veil of lavender and blue hid the fading spots of starlight's hue, as it surrendered to the a dawn of a bright new day of a world chained by the ideals of a chosen few.

And under this dazzling spectacle of clashing lights; a flotilla of ironclads effortlessly cuts through the glistening waters with a ripple, its rusted smokestacks leaving trails of soot and embers which resembled a swarm of dying fireflies, while its radio towers and iron masts loomed high above its metallic base, proudly waving a flag synonymous with the Empire of the Rising Sun.

Laconic chants coupled with inaudible whispers reverberated through the sultry breeze, as sailors and soldiers alike lined by rank and file on its riveted floors, greeting the radiant dawn together with the solemn ballad of _kimigayo_ which praises the emperor above all and wishes for the empire to last for generations to come.

Meanwhile, the corridors were all empty and silent; albeit the blatant static of the speakers riddling the halls, and the sullen screech of a grindstone rubbing against a sword's lustrous blade, as it was sharpened by a lady who was well groomed while wearing a uniform of brilliant green that revealed those dainty legs tipped by a pair of spit polished heels.

Her hair was left to dangle without restraint, and it was as blue and vibrant as the sea which had become her namesake, while her eyes were kissed with a hint of honey; glistening as the blade emitted a shower of sparks. But beauty isn't her greatest asset anymore, as a callous vertical gash marred her once immaculate face, a solemn reminder which she gained during the fierce battle for the eternal capital where she had earned her sobriquet: the sword of Yamato.

During her four years of service; the colonel had quickly built up a reputation of being a leader whose audacity and daring resolve distinguished her from the rest the crew, propelling her through the ranks while garnering utmost adoration from those who served under this iron lady.

Her name is Umi Sonoda, commander of the 8th Yokosuka Special Naval Landing Force; a crack division composed of frontline veterans whose field experience far exceeded that of the IJA, but rivalled those of their imperial guards.

But even if she had gained a higher status and respect from everyone else who heard her name, the seasoned swordsman still decided to stay on the same cramped space which gave some sense of refuge during her early days; unwilling to part with it as distant memories were forever etched within its riveted walls.

It was only enough for a sizeable bed and a table for her studies, illuminated by a porthole during daylight's humble course; with only the flickering light of an incandescent lamp giving her some radiance in the darkest of night.

Yet the she had managed to make the most of it, as living a simple life without excess is a principle she had learned from her childhood years; following a strict code of conduct which served as a guide for generations of fabled warriors, which had sadly lost its credibility after the untimely death of her patriarch.

Staring at the blade as it screeched in distress, the blue haired soldier stopped and lifts it up to see its mirror like surface which reflected half of her face; together with the scar set upon her right eye which reminded her that there is no turning back to the path she had chosen years back.

 _Father, I promise . . . I will redeem our family's tarnished pride._

Umi was born and raised from a clan whose past resonates within the honourable traditions of the Samurai; as the Sonodas were considered as a family where Imperial Guards are born. But her life tells the story of a child who yearns for the day her father's honour will be redeemed, lost after he committed suicide from being accused of collaborating with their long time nemesis: the Soviet Union.

Soon after he enacted the fateful sentence; her mother, the only person whom she could count on married her adulterer, and this is where the bluenet's life turned into a downward spiral that had almost pushed her to the brink of suicide.

At the very young age of seven, she was sexually abused by her stepfather and her cousins which she had thought would lend their hands to help her out of sorrow; but instead ganged up and corrupted the child's budding mind with lewd acts of incestuous lust.

A distant memory which left a void within her tell-tale heart.

Then the time came when she have had enough and decided to end her suffering by a single thrust; by which under the light of the full moon, the young heiress entered the dojo where she could find a sword to plunge into her chest.

It was pitch black, except for the patches of light coming from its windows which guided the desperate soul through the lingering darkness of this centuries old hall; passing through rows of inferior suits that still had the grinning face of the devil attached under its rusted helm.

But Umi felt her feet is leading her somewhere deeper into its recesses; and after sliding a door adorned with a blue sakura, the lass found herself staring at a black hilted sword that became her family's most prized heirloom.

 _Tsuki no keibetsu_ , or the scorn of the moon; rumoured to be the Sonoda's key to rise in power and influence during the feudal turmoil which had once enveloped her land.

Realizing that suicide isn't the best option to mend her family's honour, Umi ran off with only her clothes and the fabled blade wrapped in layers of pure white linen; taking refuge to her old aunt which lived on the fringes of Chiyoda.

Battered and heartbroken, Umi spent the rest of her childhood years still embittered by the fate which befell upon her; spending each day alone on the playground with a frown set upon her face.

Then everything changed for the better when she met the two most wonderful people in her life, their silly antics and innocent cackles peeling away years of pent up guilt and regret with a bond far better than that of her own flesh and blood.

Now she is a dignified lady, serving under the compassionate general who is one of those who truly lent her a helping hand; an outgoing ginger whom she also considers as an honourable rival and loyal comrade in arms, something which the blue haired colonel felt indebted for changing her dim outlook in life.

 _I just wonder what I have become if they didn't held their hands out for me._

The bluenet thought while staring intently at the callous gash which marred her once immaculate guise; but suddenly dropped it by reflex when she saw her pupil turning into a very dark shade of lavender, while the cerulean strands she possessed had blended into a reddish hue.

"I . . ." She stammered for a bit, and remembered the girl from long ago; a promising young lass which somewhat resembled her younger self. But unlike her who looked on as the patriarch disembowelled himself in front of the entire clan, this one stood up in defence of the only one she had left; but was denied of a chance to be spared, just because she saw her adulterous mother who had betrayed her just for the sake of lust.

But it wasn't the only atrocity she had committed during the campaign; for right after the gruelling siege, Umi participated on a contest called "the hundredth man" where the competitors were to chop off a hundred heads from civilians, prisoners, and soldiers alike and were open to all officers of the expeditionary forces. Here she pitted her skills honed through years of practice against the most prolific executioners of the kempeitai; namely Captain Tsubasa and her assistant, Senior Lieutenant Anjuu who were known as the queen of spades and clubs respectively.

A deed which she had duly accomplished for the bounty of a thousand yen, but had left nightmares for years to come because she used the honoured heirloom for an act unworthy of a true samurai.

Looking at the sword that had accompanied her all these years; Umi felt her heart was slowly tearing up as she heard the echoes of those who were condemned to die by the blade, most of them defenceless civilians and prisoners that were supposed to be covered by the Geneva conventions at the fair treatment of civilians and POW's.

Grimacing at the thought, she just puts on a jowl and says "I know their lives can never be returned . . ."

"But I too, am a victim of this war . . . As I had also lost someone so dear to me." Pursing her lip to catch her breath, Umi decided that it was enough and slid it back into its lacquered sheath; as she would prepare herself for the day ahead.

 _Seishiro, please watch over her as I'll fight for our nation's future._

Unbeknownst to the two generals, Umi fell in love with a guy she met during the short yet memorable four year stay at Otonokizaka; a relationship which blossomed into something else altogether during their initial assignment at the backwater colony of Korea.

But it was during the early days of the siege where the lass finally decides to give up her virginity that she had successfully withheld before; and that is where a miracle was conceived, right in the midst of the chaos which had spread upon a city's cobbled streets.

A decision which she will never regret, as the product their shattered vow became the guiding light which kept her fighting from the final hours of Shanghai to the gates of Nanjing; unhindered by any thought of backing down, together with a wayward trooper and a loyal band of ruffled sea dogs which proved the essence of their motto:

 _Our bond is stronger than the swords we carry, and neither terror nor death can make us weary._

But the days of leading her men by the tip of the blade are drawing to a close, as she was specially handpicked to become a member of the general's staff. But it had opened up a new level of responsibility as she takes charge of her beloved corps that never failed to fight by her side during those tumultuous years; guiding them with same code of honour which her father had bestowed upon her, while at the same time acting as their mother_ as Umi had already considered them as her family.

Still, her heart belongs to her child; a sweet bundle of joy which gave the bluenet a trickle of hope and another shot at redemption.

"Kaoru . . ." She mused before taking the sage overcoat that was hung nearby; and after putting it over the woollen drab, she opened the drawer below and pursed her lips, for it revealed a pair of golden rings_ a lasting memento of a vow that was shattered when her fiancé perished during the early days of the siege which changed her life.

 _Thank you for saving my life back then, Seishiro. . ._

Sliding it on both her ring fingers, Umi couldn't help but smile as it gleamed under the radiant beam of the rising sun; bringing back memories of her lover who taught her that love far more valuable than riches or ideals, something that the bluenet couldn't forget for the rest of her life.

"My heart is closed for now." The smile was then replaced by a serious gaze, as she covered it up with a pair of cotton gloves; thinking once more of her child that had never seen the face of her father.

Tying the sword over her waist, she couldn't help but sniffle as it had been four years since she saw her child's pinkish face, and in the day that she introduced her to the world; was a time when the sakuras flourished under the dazzling spell of spring, filling the air with its fragrant bliss. Because of this, she named their daughter Kaoru; meaning _wafting_ _fragrance_ in memory of their love that was carried on by the budding sea of blossoms _._

"It's been four years since I set upon my land; and it all felt like an eternity to me." Umi whispered to herself as she finished it off with a knot; then wore the peaked cap adorned with laurels on its visor, proudly beaming the wreathed golden anchor that had always been the insignia of the Navy's elite rikusentai.

"But I promise, after this I will return and see you once more . . . for Mama misses you dearly." With some minor adjustments on her collar and black gold lined cuffs; Umi goes out of the quarters to resume her duties as a sailor and commander of the 8th division.

 _Still, duty first above all else . . ._

As she left the comfort of her room, the atmosphere suddenly changed to that of a very long tunnel as the light coming from the open door only serving as her guide; but when she was about to take her pace, the colonel took a lengthy pause and thought about an insubordinate corporal who resides deep within the bowels of the ship where no one else dared to venture, except the mechanics themselves.

Putting up a jowl, she turns around and picks up the slack; for she still had a lot of things to do aside from scolding the one who had always been a pain in the ass to be with.

"That idiot, she's the one responsible for me being late for the meeting last night . . ." Umi mumbled as she passed through rows of locked iron doors; never stopping until her nose could take a whiff of tell tale diesel fumes and the deafening roar of the ship's massive engines.

The battleship Nobunaga was comprised of five floors, by which the upper three were reserved for the residence of the elite rikusentai; while the lower decks were for the normal sailors with the bottommost part being designated as a storehouse and a makeshift brig.

And that is where the corporal is to be found, and the bluenet couldn't help but wonder what kind of mindset that person possessed; as she had only known this gem of a soldier during her assignment at Shanghai, with the latter never disclosing further details about her past except giving out her name:

Nico Yazawa.

She was a living enigma amongst the corps, and the colonel is determined to dig deeper into the girl's shady past; for after the briefing which was given to all the juniors who were willing to participate on taking Hangzhou port, she was specially summoned by an admiral who told her to be nice around a certain Ittohei that possessed a dastardly pair of ruby orbs.

At first she casts a shadow of a doubt on the old man's words, but it didn't take long until she finds the gruesome reality which surrounded this hapless lass; because once it catches a whiff of the iron scent of blood, it sends the latter into a period of hysterical bliss, resulting in utter carnage which horrified her to say the least.

 _Nico . . . do you share the same past as mine?_

As her eyes were slowly adjusting to the faint glimmer of light; she spots a glint of pure white approaching fast, which was then followed by a hearty "Ohayo gozeimasu daisa san!" as the sailor provided leeway for her to pass. Umi just responded by locking those honey glazed orbs with raised eyebrows before continuing on to search for her wayward friend.

Silence filled the halls with only the patter of her heels reverberating with a solemn beat; while her hair flowed behind like veil of cerulean bliss as the lights went back on, mesmerizing those who might've laid eyes on her, but were afraid because of the seriousness drawn across the colonel's face.

And after a twenty five minute stroll through the belly of the beast; she could finally hear the deafening roar of the ship's massive pair of engines and the nose shattering stench of diesoline fumes that emanated behind a thick iron door. Taking hold of its valve, she twisted it with all the strength her arms could offer; creaking out as it finally gave way into a place riddled with large fuel tanks locked away behind a layer of cyclone wire and iron chains.

It was a time for her to back down as the odour reached a certain level of repulsiveness, yet she paced like the dignified woman she was; keeping up with her steps while passing by white clad engineers who were engrossed at checking the gauges for any signs of anomaly.

Approaching one, Umi tapped onto their chief's shoulder and yelled as soon as he turned: "HEY! HAD YOU SEEN A LITTLE GIRL COME BY HERE?"

For a moment, the mechanic just scratched his head before answering it with a breath laced with whiskey and rye.

"WHAT?"

The colonel rolled her eyes at the response and thought of a better way to convey her message, but before she could hatch out an idea; Umi felt someone tugging her sleeve. Turning around to see who it was, she sees a younger man whose face was smudged by grease and traces of gasoline; telling her about the corporal's whereabouts.

"I THINK SHE HASN'T LEFT HER ROOM YET." He points out to the end of the hallway where flickering red lights dominated the tighter corridor where only a girl her size can pass.

Satisfied and at the same time worried by the information shared by the mechanic, she gave him a stick of cigar which were always issued to members of the officer corps; and the guy couldn't help but giggle as it was the only comfort a soldier could ever have other than the company of his peers, or the reinvigorating dose of sake.

"DOMO ARIGATOU, DAISA SAN!" He bowed, but Umi just replied with a curt "betsuni" before she proceeded deeper through rows of gigantic pistons which pumped in alternating sequences; quite a marvel of engineering indeed, but really unbearable due to the excess heat it produced.

 _No wonder so few volunteered as mechanics . . . this place is far worse than the battlefield itself._

She felt like her temperature flared as a gust of heated wind blew at her temple; forcing her to unbutton the overcoat just to feel quite comfortable from the burdensome heat.

"I must never back down no matter what . . . for this is the principle I live by, and will always be!" Umi declared, further ignoring the delirious flickering lights and stale diesoline air polluting the cramped space; affixing her eyes upon the door where the demon of Wuhan resides.

 _Nico, how could you even live in such appalling conditions?_

And with a final daring resolve, she had finally reached the beast's den that was guarded by a rusted riveted door with a sign written in faded red letters: Keep out, only authorized personnel allowed.

Smirking out in victory, the colonel confidently held onto the lever; but was surprised that it was already open , for she knew for a fact that Nico has a habit of locking herself in, only to surface just to eat or grab some whiskey or rum from the neighbouring troop transport where the rival IJA were holed in.

 _Strange, that little runt has trust issues . . ._

Thinking of how futile her effort was, Umi turned to walk away and resume her duties above deck; but decided against the notion when another dilemma had just presented itself, as evidenced by the unearthly growl coming from her stomach.

 _Great, now I need to eat._

Setting up a disappointed jowl, she looked back at the lever and thought that Nico must've stashed some food; while if she treads once more through the radiators and the tiny corridor. . . chances are, she'll be passed out.

For a moment she delved deeper into her decisions, and after a minute or so of massaging her temples as the stress returned to tick her off; opts to open the room and settle in for a while, and at the same time, uncover the mystery surrounding the girl also known as Akame.

Pushing it off with the remaining strength she had; Umi took a peek and was amazed at how organized the corporal was, as her blanket was neatly folded with sheets having neither traces of wrinkles nor spatters of filth.

"She may be one old grunt, but I am sincerely impressed by the way she maintained herself. . . A true marine indeed." She remarked then sat by a chair that faced an open porthole which gave her a view of the neighbouring transport named Kishin Maru; where Honoka and the rest of her staff stays in together with the army.

The transports just looked like reconverted ferry liners cruising along a canvas of lightened blue sky, all painted in grey with blunt noses that left quite a wave as it steamed through the waters, plus it had three towering smokestacks situated in line behind the large rectangular bridge.

Quite a sight, but a very vulnerable one due to the fact that it had only four anti aircraft guns which were placed in pairs on its starboard and portside; plus it's overcrowded with less disciplined imperial grunts that spent the early morning hours loitering around the railings, something which the colonel despised and successfully suppressed within Nobunaga's jurisdiction. . .

Except for the corporal who always broke the rules and regulations, coupled with an attitude that was way rougher than a roll of industrial grade abrasives.

Trying to divert her negative thoughts back to foraging for food, Umi panned her eyes for something that may pique her interest; and yes she did, as her amber orbs latched onto a cabinet where she might hide her personal belongings.

 _Bingo._

She opened it up and rummaged through it like a bear searching for honey, but was instead met with disappointment and shame as the search yielded brassieres of larger sizes which far exceeded the girl's tinier build.

Reddening from the sight, the colonel shoved it back with a thud; and was surprised at how obsessed Nico was at obtaining these mismatching articles of underwear.

 _Lewd . . . what the heck is she thinking?!_

Pausing for a while to recuperate her wits, she leaned by the chair and felt the callous scab left over by a broadsword during the final days of Nanjing.

 _I'm still lucky to be alive . . . But Nico . . . she is different from the rest of my men._

Then with a sullen sigh, Umi resumed to explore the grunt's lair; opening the second box that gave up a myriad of tin dog tags which slipped through her slender fingers as she dug in, all the while feeling like her hairs were standing on end as she could clearly read the names of the fallen as it darted in and out of her sight.

A morbid trophy of battles past, as those things were supposed to serve as mementos of someone's life; and were hung upon their graves for their families to recognize once the war was over, or their remains shipped back in wooden boxes or in urns.

 _Their families . . . until now, I believe they are still waiting for their children to return._

She grimaced at the thought but carried on, up until her fingertip felt something she could grasp. Breathing out from sheer relief, Umi pulled it up and saw that it was a tiny red notebook that had a gold star resting upon a wreath of laurels upon its cover.

 _This is definitely a diary issued only to the members of the prestigious imperial guards. . ._

"But I'm not surprised though, as Nico is one very skilled fighter to begin with." Umi shrugged, but the interest for uncovering the truth far outweighed that of bodily needs; so she transferred onto her corporal's lean bed, and opened the journal which revealed its very first entry: June 1, 1935.

"Wow, I'm already a senior during this time . . ." She cooed, and tried to read its contents which were quite worn out with the paper turning brown from age, with the cursives written in faded blue.

 _She could've been a secretary . . ._ the colonel comments at the girl's very good handwriting, then turned her attention back to discovering her corporal's past.

 _June 1, 1935_

 _My career had just been elevated in status and rank, as I joined the Kwantung Army's imperial guard division after successfully infiltrating a Russian outpost . . ._

"Huh?"

She abruptly halted from scanning onward as something fell from one of the pages; then out of the ever present factor of curiosity, the bluenet couldn't help place the journal aside and pick up the piece of paper which turned out to be a monochrome photograph which had faint pencil marks which wrote out: August 21, 1935.

Umi then gasped when she saw Nico posing with a group of men belonging from the fabled unit; all wearing soft crusher caps with the wreathed star displayed on its band which was actually a very dark shade of red, but appeared coal black as it was cast.

Putting up a sarcastic smirk, the colonel hid it onto her coat's pocket and remarked "From the frosted fields of Manchuria to the paddy fields of Wuhan . . . you had never ceased to garner my admiration even if you're one disrespectful piece of shit" followed by a burst of giggles as she never had a complete day without engaging at a senseless argument with the stubborn footman; and after the happiness subsided with a snort, she returned the attention once more on the little red book.

"I wonder, what is the last entry for this journal of hers . . . I'm kind of curious of why she got transferred to the navy in the first place."

The nosy officer didn't waste more time and slid the pages under her thumb, up until it reached the final part where a folded piece of paper with some yellowish grunge situated at the seams lay.

"What's this?"

Unfolding it while pursing her lips in anticipation, Umi was left to ponder as it was a death certificate of a certain Lieutenant Oda.

 _Why is someone else's death record ending up at Nico's diary?_

Scanning further down the typewritten document, Umi just lets off a sigh as it held no relevance for the corporal's colourful service for the empire; folding it back then stuffed it on some random page.

 _Maybe just another one of Nico's unusual trophy gathering scheme._

She then pouts for a while then shifts back at the last entry of the guard's diary: December 20, 1936.

 _The Russians mounted a fierce counterattack at Moshimo, and I was part of a detachment to reinforce the defenders who were squaring off with the reds for five days in a row._

 _Marching at dawn's early light, we arrived at a stream as the sun rose high above our heads; and the lieutenant decided to give us some time to recuperate and unwind our puttees before continuing on._

"Seems normal . . ."

 _Then after a few minutes of settling ourselves down amongst a cluster of rocks; one of my comrades ran back while yelling that heard a continuous shriek coming from the forest beyond. But just as we were going to reach for our rifles, a blast shoved up a pillar of water twenty metres high up in the air then showered us down like rain under the midday sun._

 _Some of us cackled at the thought of the Russians giving us a free bath, but it was followed by a full blown barrage; dangerously approaching our positions at each passing second._

 _All of us braced ourselves behind the protection of these mossy guardians of the stream, but we knew that there's nothing to be gained by just hiding at all. Peeking with a shovel covering my face, I suddenly realized that it was an entire tank column coming right at us; together with some infantrymen and cavalry tailing behind._

 _Awaiting orders to shoot, we just watched in anticipation as some of the boys were blown clean off; while others were already writhing in silent tears. Then I averted my attention to Oda, and there he is; shivering like a coward, so I removed the bayonet from its lug and. . ._

It didn't take long for her to get the whole point of the seemingly needless document ending up at the corporal's custody; as she broke down in cold sweat while her eyes widened at the realization that the death of Lieutenant Oda was caused by Nico herself.

 _So that's why she got transferred to the navy? But . . ._

She bit her lip after remembering that certain point when she lost her nerve and cowered behind a wall; crying out as the Chinese pulverized it with a deadly burst of machinegun fire.

"Nico . . ."

Mortified by the revelations hidden at the pages of a diary; Umi closed it up then spots something sticking out of the folded red seams. Curious, she painstakingly removed it but made sure that it didn't tear off; and gawked out in amazement when she realized that it was another set of type written documents that held a dry seal of two crossed rifles with a star above it, the unit insignia of the now defunct Choseon Army, a precursor of the Kwantung before it was renamed in 1931 following the invasion of Manchuria.

Shrugging the uneasy feeling away, the colonel just braced for anything that might come during this session of violating the rules of privacy.

"Might as well read it rather than let it collect dust on a corner." Umi sighed before reading its contents to ease her frantic heartbeats.

 _Excerpts from the project Red Queen_

 _Day one- January 6, 1931_

 _I have received a very large crate that was the size of two grown cows at my laboratory's cargo bay. I took a look around to see if the general put some indications to its origins, but instead we found a piece of paper with a crudely drawn chrysanthemum in it._

 _Asking the help of some of my colleagues, we struggled to yank it open with some crowbars; and after much difficulty due to our build, there they are, my very first test subjects: three depraved young females and a boy. They were huddling together amongst the pile of wood chippings and shreds of paper, all hungry and afraid for their lives._

 _But there's no time for compassion as I must do this or my father will get the blade for sure._

The colonel's pupils shook when she read the first two paragraphs; and comparing it with her entry on the diary, it seemed that Nico didn't have an idea of her past at all.

"I . . . I must delve in deeper." She declared, and investigates the document for further clues.

 _He promised for his release once I give him satisfactory results, and lucky for me; the raiding auxiliaries forgot to look beyond the portrait of 'the lady and the unicorn where' there's a hidden safe which held the document about the project only known as Matryoshka._

 _Papa once told me that it belonged to a rogue general who fled after being traumatized by what he saw, but now I must put my faith on this double edged sword to save him from being executed within a year's time. Tojo was elated at the thought as I presented him the papers with its incomparable prospects, and was generous enough to give me a base for which I could operate and a dedicated staff, together with some drums worth of chemicals I could use for this monumental task._

 _Now I'm here, studying the behaviour of these rats which possessed a very stagnant crimson hue on their eyes holding on with dear life at their eldest; a very unsuitable specimen for her body build is quite disproportionate for her age._

 _But this is their first night, so I guess I should let them stay together; up until I could think of something to complete the formula._

Umi then shuffled onto the next page, and read on.

 _Day two- January 7, 1933_

 _After a night of hearing their incessant howls, I couldn't bear it anymore and promptly visited their cell during the dead of night. There I saw the unsuitable specimen caring for her siblings, wiping their tears with her soot ridden shirt. A gripping sight so they say, but for me; they're nothing more than rats whose lives will hang upon my success._

 _I called for Dr. Tanaka to give the boy a shot of anaesthesia after I saw a gash on his right foot, probably procured during the rough transit from their homeland. As it was delivered, the eldest one walked up to me and tugged at my sleeve as I had specifically ordered for them to be starved long after their arrival. But still, I didn't feel compassion for their plight; for the thought of my father being tortured by Tojo's minions far outweighed the need to express some sympathy over these condemned children._

 _So I just shrugged it off, and walked out of the cell; leaving them to cry some more. . ._

Reading this, tears had threatened to fall when Umi realized the inhumanity Nico had persevered in the hands of this "mad scientist," so she paused for a while and wiped it off with her sleeve; then folded it to explore later, stuffing it into her coat's pocket together with the raven's diary.

"Nico . . . how could you live with this kind of indignity?" She then cleared the traces of her presence and backtracked her way from the belly of the beast.

* * *

"You broke our promise . . . I told you to never join the armed forces, yet you still disobeyed me as your sister. . ."

A lady murmured as she lay on a leather lined couch; still draped by a cotton shirt paired with maroon shorts which clearly showed her well developed figure underneath.

Her bright tangerine hair was sprawled all over her delicate face; revealing only a pair of supple lips which men could only wish of kissing under the moonlight's sullen shade.

Meanwhile, a lone bottle of red wine stood guard at table right next to the dreary lass; together with a sizeable notebook where she kept her personal correspondence and some faded pictures of her dear friends.

It had been a long night for this sleepy young soul, because long after the meeting was over; she spent the daybreak hours refining her plans for the initial assault, all the while drowning her sorrow and fears away with each bittersweet tang of liquor and a loaf of bread.

Her life is an exact opposite to that of the Colonel Sonoda she knew, that of a free soul unbounded by the strict laws of bushido; but was instead forced by a long standing tradition which ran from her family's militaristic past.

She is Kousaka Honoka, supreme commander of the 14th Army tasked with assaulting the scattered Philippine archipelago.

It had been only a week since she got promoted to the rank of Rikugun Chusa, but the ginger felt the pressure was draining her badly as the task at hand is difficult to say the least; due to the fact that it is composed of 7,107 islands, while her men only numbered 77,000. . . All of it pledged to attack the American's stronghold of Luzon, leaving the other two regions of Visayas and Mindanao in the hands of the 16th that was supposed to be headed into Indonesia and Papua New Guinea.

Her main strike force sailed from the colony of Formosa a day ago; composed mostly of divisions that were fresh out of training, as opposed to Minami's army group where a good half of it were imperial guards together with the seasoned veterans of the 5th , 25th, 27thIJA and a good number of tank regiments.

The only units that she could consider as elite were the 8th Shidan which reports directly under her friend's command; together with the 44th IJA that is still leaving the Ryukyus and a detachment of armoured cavalry coming from the easternmost colony of Palau.

Faced with a force far greater and most likely better equipped than hers, the general couldn't help but meticulously review the map over and over again; spending sleepless nights rewriting each exact details like a director of a blockbuster film, while her body's integrity deteriorated with each passing hour, only to be soothed by the copious amount of liquor being introduced on her system.

"Baka . . . Yukiho wa Baka!" She indivertibly cussed, but was suddenly awakened by the sound of bottles clanging on the fridge.

"Whuh?" Honoka brushed her bangs aside and looked around, then sees someone's hip sticking out of her kitchen's doorway. Picking a pistol beneath the pillow, Honoka approached the stranger and was surprised that it was a marine; still dressed in full battle gear complete with a backpack and a rifle still slung on its shoulder, while its face was obscured by the piece of cloth which served as a protection from the searing heat of the sun.

An unusual sight due to the fact that her ship is chocked full of army personnel which sort of bore a grudge at the Rikusentai for stealing all the credit at any area of operations.

"Damn it! What kind of wuss drinks these things?" It grumbled with a pitched voice which resembled like that of a child, followed by a barrage of inaudible profanities as it dug deeper into the bottle of carbonated drinks that she personally stashed for her own consumption.

Narrowing her eyes, Honoka saw the black shovel head patch sewn onto its right shoulder had a pair of laurels springing off its sharp edge; coupled with the IJN's anchor at its centre with a cherry blossom nestled above it, holding up a single horizontal stripe.

A Ittoheiso or a leading seaman; equivalent to the army's rank of gocho.

 _Oh, it's just a corporal . . . and I definitely know which unit this one belongs to._

Thinking that the grunt isn't a threat at all, she lowered her guard and hid the pistol on her pocket before getting the seaman's attention by tapping onto its shoulder.

"Huh?" It groaned and faced the general who was surprised that it was a girl; as evidenced by her chest which sort of, well . . . bulged for a bit.

Seeing that the ginger was giving an awkward stare, the corporal suddenly snarled: "What are you lookin at? Were you expecting something else huh, tubby?"

Taken aback by the rude reply, Honoka crossed her arms and tried to assert her authority by fighting back with a stern glare "You are getting out of line soldier, state your name so I could report this to your superior."

But the trooper ignored her and returned to shuffle through the fridge; and after a few minutes of waiting for a decent reply, the ginger just lets out a sigh of disappointment and tried to explain to her that she had a very rough day, and in no mood for an argument.

"Look, I don't want this to escalate any further but can you please tell me why you barged into my room in broad daylight?"

The intruder just paused for a moment and nonchalantly asked, "Hey, where do you keep your whiskey around here?"

 _What kind of . . . Am I dreaming? Did a marine just ignore me the second time around?_

Seeing that reasoning out isn't the best way to go; Honoka decided to just let the stranger get what she wanted, for she knew that once somebody finds what they seek, they'll definitely leave the spot, never to return again.

A hard pressed yet favourable decision on her part, for it isn't her nature to resort to an argument with anyone else except her close circle of friends and staff.

Pouting her lips out of vexation, she responds "It's right on the corner" and returned to the soothing comfort of the couch; covering her head with the pillow to muffle the cluttering of her prized collection of crockery as the grunt struggled to reach the cupboards.

 _Great, I spent almost an entire day planning for the operations ahead; and now one of Umi's 'disciplined' soldiers just barged in at my quarters just for a bottle of whiskey? Come on Honoka, you better stop depraving yourself of sleep from now on!_

"Hey! Can I borrow this chair? I think I see a bottle up here!"

Gritting her teeth from sheer frustration, the ginger suddenly scowled "Just make sure you clean it up after use!" then groaned as she turned to find a comfortable position to catch some well needed rest.

 _This is just a dream, I'll close my eyes and count to three . . . that's right, I think that should remedy this very bad excuse of a nightmare!_

Then she huffed with relief as the clutters suddenly stopped; thinking that it was indeed a dream, she takes a subtle peek through her pillow's fluffy seam and was spooked at the sight of the Marine sitting right next to her, chugging down an entire bottle of whiskey in one go while crossing her legs up the table like she owned the place.

Amazed but at the same time worried for the consumer's safety, Honoka sat up and watched in awe for in a matter of seconds; the soldier drowned the bitter ale without any signs of throwing up, neither traces of the fabled Asian blush which develops after consuming such large amounts of liquor.

 _Sugoi . . . this grunt could beat anyone else in a drinking match!_

With a satisfied "ah" the rowdy trooper stared back at her and remarked "Nice place you have here."

Hugging the pillow tighter against her chest, the general tried to gather her wits as she felt that she was being plunged into a very weird dream; but her presumptions were shattered when the persona known as the demon of Wuhan fixed its crimson orbs upon hers, causing her heart to flutter in disparity while breaking down in streams of cold sweat as the room was filled by the smothering aura of dread coming from the beast.

"S-so, the rumours were true?" She stuttered, but the little girl just responded by removing her helmet and leisurely responds while pouring some of the vile brownish liquor onto a shot glass.

"It depends if you believe slick . . . but the last time I remembered, I am normal, just like you."

The intruder then offered the glass, by which the ginger accepted with a shallow smile; for she still felt terror creeping through her spine.

Seeing the owner's blatant reaction of fear, the marine extended her hand for a shake and duly introduced herself with a mischievous grin strewn across her lips.

"Nico."

Accepting the simple gesture of friendship, the general's fears withered away when she finally locked hands with a newfound ally; but the deeds of Akame still lingered in the depths of her mind, as tales of unkempt brutality perpetrated by this red eyed abomination leaked from the frontlines, and now she's staring face to face while sharing a shot of whiskey.

"Honoka Kousaka, nice to meet you Nico."

After separating the bond, the guest removed her cap which revealed a low ponytail tied with a red ribbon; then returned to recline while chugging down the leftover scotch down her throat, before wiping the mess off with a sleeve.

Meanwhile, the general still looked sort of dazed from the rowdy manner this soldier was introduced; but tried to keep it cool by starting a conversation with her. Licking her lips just to give it an inkling of moisture, she tried to mutter a word when the corporal stuffed the remaining bottles into her backpack.

"W-wait, you're leaving?"

The little lass just smiled at her and said "Do you have some cigarettes to spare? I heard officers have things like those in common issue."

Scratching her head from the seemingly discourteous request, Honoka sighed and lets her off the hook; for based on what she heard, making this certain marine furious isn't the wisest thing to do at all.

 _Might as well suck it up rather than look for trouble . . ._

Pulling out a small packet of it from underneath the table; she then gave it to Nico who then stood up and proposed for something in return for her kindness, even if she had intruded into her quarters.

"Hey ginger . . ."

"Hmm?"

The raven then rolled her sleeves up and asked: "Based on that glum look of yours, I am sure you haven't eaten your breakfast yet."

Hearing such an offer, Honoka's face suddenly beamed up and like an excited toddler and giddily responds with a heartfelt "Yes!" by which Nico never just turned around and smiled like a malicious imp; glaring out those nasty rows of shark like teeth which were filed out by the scientist who is responsible for killing her siblings.

* * *

Miscellany:  
Tokubetsu Rikusentai- Marines.

Gekkokujo- Loyal insubordination, and most of the Japanese officer corps were committing that concept.


	8. Yuuki no Reason

A/N: To Mr. Guest, I am still doing my best to improve . . . (I admit though, I'm really bad at summarizing stuff) and wait, kabayan pala kita?!

Someone from Nowhere: If you are reading this, I am now starting to betaread your story. :D

Nyan Hellcat: Sorry If I haven't replied to your message, but the best of luck to your endeavours! (Had just returned after sorting things up. *winks*)

Death Gremory: just notify me mate! So we could further enhance our ideas about writing . . . and if you could wait too :)

With that said, I am truly sorry for the delays . . . for as always, real life is more important than fandom. (Please don't get mad on me for saying the latter. ;-;)

Disclaimer: I only own these random scribbles; anything else is property of Sunrise. If you find any errors, please notify me. Thanks!

==o==

* * *

 _The year was 1937, as the world's economies were plunged to a standstill by the curse of the Great Depression; two armies met for a grand showdown on a city found at the mouth of the Yangtze, sacrificing almost half a million of promising young men to die in its labyrinth of streets and eloquent buildings._

 _But a conflict this epic in scale had its root on such an absurd cause, when a certain Marine Lieutenant named Isao Oyama was supposedly murdered by the Chinese stationed near Hongquiao Airport; unleashing a ripple which served as the final breaking point to the deteriorating relationship between the two nations who had been going at each other's throats ever since Mukden._

 _The said unit was relieved of its duties as they were pressed by the Imperial Navy to comply, but amidst of the bitter compromises on the part of the Kuomintang; the shroud of fragile peace was shattered in the morning of the August the 13_ _th_ _, four days after the official's death._

 _Negotiations that were supposed to end the undeclared war on the frontiers were dissolved and shots were fired, as the Imperial Army crossed Huangpu's Bazi Bridge; heralding a dark chapter in history that was paid for with the lives of many._

 _Nationalism was prevalent during those momentous times, and young men and women volunteered or were pressed to take their sides; taking up arms for the cause which they thought was right. And among this generation of budding souls who were called upon to fight for their nation's will, was a junior officer who had just returned from her sortie in the land of the morning calm; one whose life will forever be changed by the battle that was considered as the Stalingrad of the Yangtze: the first of many in a tragedy known as the Second Sino-Japanese War._

* * *

 **Chapter 8: Yuuki no Reason**

 _It only takes a spark to start a raging firestorm._

The song of the humble skylarks signalled the ushering of a bright new day, as dawn's early light pierced through the illustrious veil of the starry sky. The world was tranquil at best and only the distant chirps and frantic flutters of this quirky little bird wafted through the fresh morning air. And as the cycle of life unfolded all around; a fair maiden treads down a lakeside trail that was covered by a thin blanket of mist, bordered with rows of cherries and a seemingly endless field of greenish sprouts and evergreen pines. It was the start of a magical moment called spring; as the trees which served as an Empire's lasting symbol of undying will flourished with seas of lavender and pink, covering the skyline with its blossoming buds and alluring fragrance that could melt even the weariest of hearts.

Camellias opened up its umbrella like blooms, exposing its yellowish stamens which attracted bees from all around; while roses were clustered by the sides, displaying its vibrant flush of crimson red, coated with subtle drops of fresh mountain dew. Sparrows flocked to the silent sanctuary en masse, perching amongst the branches together with the humble spotted larks; chorusing their frivolous ballads of springtime's bliss as the sun beamed behind a snowy mountain peak that the people of the land affectionately called _Fujiyama-san._

Meanwhile the girl who treads down the lonely lakeside trail wore a sash reflecting the season's purity with a shade of brilliant green, while her yukata was lily white and was adorned with the petals of the fabled sakura as it was blown by the wind to an unknown fate; carrying with her a parasol mimicking the surreal sky above, strewn with a depiction of red breasted nightingales spreading their majestic wings to the world beyond. Her glossy cerulean hair were neatly tied to a bun and was held together with a lotus pin; a valuable heirloom that was her grandmother's most prized possession, said to bring the user sweet memories of springtime's endless waltz.

She was as beautiful like a blooming cluster of hyacinths by the stream; coupled with a smile that could lure men into a state of innocent bliss, a vibrant yet fragile little lamb that could break even at the slightest touch. But her heart is already bound to someone else, for beyond the scenic road filled with the sakura's passionate kiss laid an old wooden chapel; where her dearest lover was waiting for her to say goodbye, as he was already called upon to fulfill his duties for the empire of the rising sun. And at the moment she passed under its majestic cypress arch, Umi felt like she had wandered off to a forbidden realm; one which inspired the ire of her kin as she was born a devout Shinto, while her paramour was a Christian_ two conflicting religions whose co-existence were never meant to be.

A risk that she was willing to take, for the lass had already decided to shed her ancestral bonds all for the man she loved.

She was amazed at the sight of large stained windows which lined the walls of this hundred year old church; gleaming in various shades of orange, ochre, and blue, depicting scenes from the nativity of Christ. Then at the very end of the brightly lit aisle, her amber orbs glistened when she finally saw her beloved soldier; standing by the pulpit's base and facing a window which shone brighter than the rest, adorned with the legendary star of Bethlehem.

Stopping for a while to solicit his attention; the man dressed in a sailor's blue uniform and white gaiters duly noted and stepped down to take her hand, then pressing it gently against his lips as a sign of deepest affection towards the fair maiden whom he swore to spend the rest of his mortal life.

A moment to savour and remember, for it may never come again; as the ghastly spectre of war hung heavily upon the mountain's evergreen scent.

Parting with the girl's fair skin, he couldn't help but chuckle as her face became flustered with embarrassment; but stopped when he smelled the fresh raspberry scent which she wore as a sort of parting gift. Stroking those cerulean locks which she had possessed, the man leaned closer and whispered her name with a passionate ring to it; sending butterflies churning down the latter's stomach which further darkened her cheek's radiant flush.

"Umi . . ."

Then with a sniffle coupled with a glint of tears bubbling beside her amber orbs; the bluenet responded with a tone brimming with utmost concern, for it may be her final glimpse to the man whom she fondly called her better half.

"Seishiro."

Guiding her up the broad stairs under the star's efflorescent glow; Lieutenant Kanzaki held both her hands and stared straight into her honey glazed orbs, as if he was about to say something really special for the lass he had cherished so much for all these years. Befuddled and excited at the same time, Umi just swallowed her zealous pride and waited for him to speak out his mind; all the while trying to clear up her own, as it was getting clouded up by negative and pessimistic thoughts above all. She then flinched for a bit when he cupped her dainty cheeks; as the girl wasn't used to such subtle acts of affection, for it had been a while since a man did that to her . . . and it wasn't that pleasant at all.

"Umi . . ." The officer cooed as he held her hands once more; then looked away towards a crack on one of the windows which showed a faint glint of light peeking from Fujiyama's crest, a sign that he must leave for his tour of duty on the city found at the mouth of the raging Yangtze. Sensing that he didn't have enough time left to be with his sweetheart; He returned his gaze to her and reached for his breast pocket, then knelt beside the maiden's porcelain feet.

"What is it Seishiro?" She inquired while her heart began to flutter wildly like a beast that was trying to let itself loose from its cage; while the heat within her yukata soared to new heights as the man finally revealed what he has in hand:

A small leather lined box with a heart etched at its lid.

Covering her mouth to muffle those heavy breaths which increased in intensity at each passing moment; Umi couldn't help but squirm like a tot, as he opened it up with a subtle flick and revealed a golden ring which reflected the radiant beams upon her eyes; accompanied by a sentence that she had once thought existed only in fairytales of old.

"We had been the best of friends, but now is the time we take this up to a whole new level. . ." Mr. Kanzaki then asked for her hand by which she willingly held out; together with some tears of joy which dripped onto her lily white sleeve. Latching his deep brown orbs against the lustrous pair of hazels, he slipped it onto her ring finger and asked with a smooth yet decisive voice:

"Will you marry me, Sonoda san?"

Hearing those heart warming words, the maiden felt the world was suddenly sent into a state of limbo; and the skylark's wondrous melody became even louder than before, a fitting theme for a vow that was yet to be concluded by the sacred rite of marriage. Pursing her lips to find the right words to accept his noble proposal, she paused for a moment as a _yamazakura_ like her had never heard such an endearing phrase; because she was raised on a world that was governed by the draconic code of bushido where selfless duty for the empire came first before one's happiness in life.

Her ears heated up like an oven as emotions filled her body with unparalleled joy; and with a tone almost on the verge of tears, she finally gave him the answer which he had been waiting for all these years.

"Yes Seishiro, Yes . . . Yes I will!"

Unable to hold the effervescent passion within her chest; Umi suddenly breaks her veil of decisiveness and caressed him with all the strength she could spare, reciprocated in kind by her pair who had also yearned to spend some more of his precious time with the lass who was now his dearly betrothed. Grasping onto his collar to show how much she longed for his prescence; Umi begged for him to reconsider just for another night, crying down streams of sultry tears which had seeped into his uniform's stitch.

"Please, don't leave me!" She pleaded like a desperate child, but her man had no choice but to comply with the summons whether he liked it or not; for disobeying an emperor's order may bring shame to one's clan, a fate which the Japanese could never accept at all as it was considered far worse than death itself. She then felt his hand stroking her crown once more, but this time it was much subtler and filled with a hint of sadness on his part as he must do the ultimate sacrifice and serve in a foreign land; but what could the two of them do, as they were only mere pawns who follow orders from a person which the entire nation saw as "faultless and divine."

Lucky for Umi though, she won't be due until next year; but her fears felt real as finally, Seishiro separated from the embrace and clasped their hands together for a promise before he leaves for the frontlines. Resting his forehead against the lass' own; the lieutenant closed his eyes and humbly expressed a solemn assurance to the love of his life:

"I pray that this struggle won't escalate any further to a full blown war, but if it does; I'll do my best to survive and come home for our wedding day."

Putting up a smile upon those succulent pair of lips, the bluenet removed her lotus hairpin which lets loose of the vibrant blue strands that reflected the light from the stained glass; giving her a mystifying halo that gave a sense of comfort to her man. Resting it upon his palm; she passionately stared into his deep brown eyes while closing it gently with her slender fingers before giving him her word.

"I promise to be loyal to you no matter what, and pray each and every day for your safe trip home so we could meet again at this very spot."

With that said, the couple sealed their vow with a lasting embrace; illuminated by the radiant beams of the rising sun.

 _Even if you are already gone, I still hold onto the pieces you left in my heart._

* * *

The 24th of August, 1937- on the coast of Fengxian District, A few miles south of Downtown Shanghai

The skies lay stagnant with the greyish smears of soot and dirt that fateful morn; while the pungent smell of chlorine accompanied the unmistakable stench of death which seeped through the blanket of heavy fog, churning up the guts of everyone else who's present at its vicinity. Planes hummed up above the sultry air like a swarm of mosquitoes seeking their prey, dropping bombs and strafing down on those who were unlucky enough to be caught on their sights.

Meanwhile, the seas were silent except for the gentle brushing of it against a ship's iron hide; its turrets bristling with guns ranging from the 37mm "poppers" to the massive 12 pounders scattered near the bridge. The decks were filled with the signs of life, as white clad sailors started the day by cleaning Izumo's domineering guns and adjusting its trajectories to cover the marine's advance; while heavy footsteps tapped in urgency within its riveted corridors, followed in kind by the distinctive rattling of a rifle's bolt and aluminium cups that were hung by their packs. Then as soon as the first grunt showed up on deck, the ear piercing shriek of an officer's whistle echoed throughout the dead morning air, a stern call to fall by their respective platoons according to their height and rank; most being young boys who were yet to taste the bitter ale of combat, while others were seasoned veterans who had witnessed enough killings that could last a lifetime.

Sergeants duly stepped out from the files to further organize them for their lieutenants, all of them being members of the elite 8th Yokosuka SNLF; bearing with them the crossed anchor patches by their left sleeve, while the other one carried their ranks which came from the lowest _Yontosuhei_ to the non commissioned _Ittoheiso_. And as they struggled to keep themselves in line with the weight of their gear bearing them down, their brilliant green overlords stood by the rails; warily listening at the distant sounds of war which bore striking semblance to the furious beat of an orchestra of taiko drums.

One of these naive officers was the maiden who months before; waved her last goodbye to the man she loved so much, but sprang into action after she heard that the Chinese had invoked the ire of high command which in turn declared war. She was properly dressed for such a task, as her sable boots were spit polished with care; while her coat and red seamed breeches were tediously ironed out the night before, its blue backed collar tab proudly displaying a pair of white sakuras lying between parallel grey lines. But those fabled cerulean locks which she once possessed were cut to shoulder's length; in order to conform to the standards of the Armed forces.

She was just a Kaigun Chui back then, a novice in the field of battle and the second lowest mammal of the officer corps.

Holding onto the ring which her man had given on the day he left; the then Junior Lieutenant Umi Sonoda could do nothing more than whimper, as she also felt her heartbeats getting stronger as the time drew near for them to cast their lives in the line of duty.

 _Seishiro . . . Hang on, I'm coming for you._

Seconds ticked by without a sense of reprieve, and the lass couldn't help but worry as she had broke their covenant which was forged on that lone chapel by the woods; all for the sake of making sure that he was alright, safe and sound. But like the overbearing privates who were mere pawns in the frontlines of service, Umi carried with her a backpack that had a rolled futon resting at its top and a gas pouch dangling by her neck; as high command had already considered the option of using chemical weapons against the formidable and numerically superior Chinese forces scattered throughout the city. Heavy perhaps, but she was lighter compered to the normal grunt that also had a shovel, a trio of belt pouches that held rifle ammunition, and a mallet hanging by a strap; plus a couple of bundled grenades that were specially built to destroy any sort of light fortification they could come across.

Most of them were armed with the standard Type 38 Arisakas, while only a select few were given Type 96 light machineguns for support; with one assigned at every two squads of riflemen, for supplies of it were sorely lacking at the time. But at least the footmen were better off in terms of fire power; as the officers were only given a piddle 8mm nambu and four magazines that were tightly packed within their belt's leather pouch, together with a sword that had a tassel dyed specifically by rank. But on Umi's case, she just kept the sub standard blade on a chest for spare; as they were also allowed to carry with them their trusted antiques.

Because of the limitations set upon them, it means that she must rely upon her men for protection at all times, with the latter depending on her for guidance and tactics; something that was quite problematic for the young bluenet for this is going to be her first time to lead a platoon into the heat of battle. Experience was a sort of necessity which she needed rather badly, and the only ones she could count on was a group of ex-border guards from the Kwantung; men who had no papers to support their transfers, coupled with the fact that their allegiance raised a lot of questions within her wary mind. But now with the Expeditionary forces about to be thrown into the fray; Umi couldn't help but worry even more as reports came from the frontlines that the NLF were exhausted with their supply lines cut, scattered in company sized pockets deep within the bay side area.

"Platoon, ten-hut!" A sergeant's coarse voice hollered out, and with a sudden snap of their boots; the khaki drabbed men of the 8th Yokosuka straightened up in unison with rifles all oiled up for action and helmets proudly beaming their force's undying emblem. They were considered assault infantry after all, tasked with spearheading any operation with a very high expectation of casualties within their ranks. But time and time again, these foolhardy soldiers of the sea proved to be a force to be reckoned with; and being in a unit like this was honour which far exceeded any infantryman's expectation, as its history dates back from the time when Japan was just recovering after centuries of civil strife.

Sweat dripped down her slender brows as she nervously anticipated the order which could come at a moment's notice; and looking at the wristwatch which was her father's own, Umi grimaced as seconds ticked by without a trace with the minute hand drifting precariously towards the twelfth hour. Leaving out a reluctant sigh, the lieutenant just swallowed her thought and faced the sergeant who was already waiting for her attention.

"Speak." She calmly stressed while tucking her hands behind; and seeing that he had gained her attention, the senior petty officer gave off a quick salute and reports: "Ma'am, the men are all lined up and are ready to hear you out."

Putting up a smug look on her face, she dismissed her aide who bowed in respect before returning in line; then struts towards the front to give some instructions before they head for the boats which were already waiting for them down below. Staring at the boys who never averted their gaze to the scenery of heavy fog and billowing smoke, the lieutenant pulls out a neatly folded flag from her pouch and blandly commands:

"Fill this up with your names, and make it quick."

She then hands it to the sergeant who immediately unfurled and knelt down to scribble his own initials right next to hers; by after which he was done with the solemn task, passes it to the entire platoon who wrote around the glaring red sun, radiating outward like the rays which represented their nation's will. It was highly encouraged to leave their messages or names there, for they believed that it will bring good luck to those who partake this ritual of leaving behind a lasting memento on a piece of linen. But all of them knew that the gods favoured only those who fought hard to survive; because once they were deployed into the frontlines where there's no one else to depend on other than your comrade, this useless good luck charm will surmount to nothing more than a makeshift ass wipe.

Umi was designated to the newly reorganized first platoon, "sakura" company; by which three thirds of it is composed of greenhorns and the rest are seasoned men from Manchuria, the latter which she could further distinguish due to their habit of being prolific chain smokers and heavy drinkers. But there was one in particular among this band of hardy men which piqued her interest; and that is the second class seaman or _Nitosuhei_ whose voice whom she had never heard of, for it had always kept her lips sealed shut no matter what. And during the two weeks of transit from the naval district of Yokosuka, Umi had always seen this particular character loitering by the stern; looking at the sun as it retired unto the seemingly endless mirage of surreal blue. But whenever she tried to strike a conversation with her, the little girl just looked back with a dead expression set upon her face; then returns to the barracks without muttering a single word of permission, only to surface when it's time to eat or serve her daily tasks as a sailor.

Scrutinizing the raven's gear, she scanned every bit of her starting from the foot up; and Umi was surprised at how neatly groomed she was, as the boots and bullet pouches on her waist were gleaming against the faint daylight's shade.

 _Even if she looks like a kid . . . it seems this one could compete with the old grumblers here._

Then the time came when the flag is on the hands of the person in interest, and Umi watched expectantly as it knelt down to write her name.

 _I had always longed to know you kid, and whatever secrets you have hidden under those lips._

But before the private made a single stroke; she latched those glaring pair of ruby orbs straight onto hers, forcing the lieutenant to avert her malicious stare towards the others who were adjusting their gears for the fight of their lives. Shovels and aluminium bowls cluttered as the sergeant inspected each and every marine under her jurisdiction; even helping out others who had some trouble putting on their backpacks or securing the futons because of lingering dread.

 _Father, please guide me as I set out to serve my duty for the Empire you loved._

Then she was snapped off her prayers after feeling a gentle nudge on her sleeve; turning around to see who it was, Umi was surprised that it was the red eyed grunt who presented to her the folded flag which bore all the names of her men. The lieutenant just gave off a smile and refused, saying "I entrust you with the duty of uplifting our morale; and please, consider this as a privilege to bear our nation's colours."

Never flinching from the newfound responsibility, the senior private just tied it up onto her rifle's barrel; while Umi looked onto the waters below where the boat was steadily floating above the gentle waves, licking her lips which felt dry after realizing how high their ship was.

"T-this will be it then . . ."

Clasping onto the draped boarding net, the bluenet cleared her throat before stepping off the rail; executing a precarious balancing act as the backpack sort of dragged her down.

 _Don't look down, don't look down, damn it . . . never look down._

Thinking that there's another way rather than to look directly onto the churning waters, Umi raised her head up and saw the men waiting for her to settle down; their faces riddled with concern as they leaned by the rails, especially the greenhorns who were as pale as a ghost.

Seeing this, the lieutenant shrugged the ill feelings of dread and emboldened herself with the memories of her dear father who was once a guardsman who won the prestigious "order of the rising sun"; the highest honour a soldier could ever be awarded with during their tour of duty.

 _It's funny that I pursued a different path apart from your own, but the concept of never backing down and being honourable is still embedded deep within my soul. . ._

Putting up a smirk upon her supple lips, the bluenet felt her pulse slowing down as an image of a lonely cherry tree sprang from the depths of her mind; illuminated in kind by radiant beams of moonlight, a place of solace where the young heiress had once sought refuge during her days of sorrow.

 _They said you were a traitor, but I could attest that you are a hero nonetheless . . ._

The scene was nothing more than an illusion, but for the junior officer who was now at the brink of a glorious struggle; it felt so real, for that was the same spot where her father took his life all for the sake of preserving their family's pride.

 _The same spot where you died is also the place where I etched my promise . . . and someday, I will find the truth behind those accusations . . ._

Her feet felt lighter as bliss replaced the lingering thought of fear; and little did she know, that she had already touched the boat's iron hull. Placing a hand by her chest and giving out a satisfied sigh, Umi took a glance at the overcast sky; muttering a short prayer while the rest of the crew descended on an orderly manner, weapons and packs neatly strapped behind their backs.

 _Papa, if you're looking down on me right now . . . please guide me and strengthen my resolve, but if I fail and perish this day; please wait for me in the gates of paradise._

But before she could sit by the helm, the heavy guns of their flagship Izumo and surrounding light cruisers commenced a deafening artillery barrage; and the lass couldn't help but look up in awe as brilliant bursts of yellow and a hint of blue bursts forth from its guns, casting heavy shells towards the distorted landscape of Fengxian's coast. Giving out a thousand yard stare, she was amazed and at the same time horrified at the ferocity of the naval bombardment; as faint flashes of ochre and peach shone through the blanket of mist, while distant screams and ruffled mandarin curses accompanied the violent blasts which lasted for only a second or two.

It officially signalled the start of their landing operations, but Umi was concerned at the threats posed by the hidden enemy which might've made refuge amongst the tattered refuse of mortar and dirt; for she had heard that the nationalist's German trained divisions are well versed at sharpshooting themselves. And being an officer, it was something that she has to worry about; as her rank and olive green garb really presents a juicy target for those who live by the scope. Thoughts aside, the barrage went on while her men positioned themselves neatly by the hull; their eyes beset upon a scene of devastation poking through the dense shroud of mist.

Then Umi felt a strange presence sitting beside her, turning around once more; the bluenet realized that the private whom the admiral warned of hours ago was now staring straight into her amber orbs. Thinking that she was being threatened, Umi raised her brows and snarled "Do you have something important to tell me?"

The raven just shook her head and diverted her gaze upon the pillars of billowing smoke and smouldering embers that were blatantly put into view as the shells pierced through the fog of war; giving the lieutenant a chance to read her name that was written right beside hers.

 _Nico Yazawa. . . So that's who you are._

"Nico." She soothingly mentioned, but the red eyed lass still didn't budge; and was loading her rifle with a five round clip. Pursing her lips, Umi just gave off a sigh and waved her hand towards the operator that was found at the other end of the craft. And with a sudden pull of the starter, the engines coughed up a puff of putrid fumes; and off they go to clean up the mess caused by the mighty ironclads. Hell rained down upon those who might still be holding onto their defensive lines, as the admiral wasn't merciful enough to give them a moment's reprieve; and at each second's interval, a shell hits either a section of pavement or some ruins. . . quite an unfortunate fate for the defenders trapped within the bay side area; for they couldn't fire back in kind, due to the fact that the Nationalist's own navy was non-existent with their airforce wiped off the skies by the more agile Ki-28's and A4m5's, both revolutionary planes at the time. But what the Nationalist's made up for their lack of technology was the fact that they still far outnumbered the Japanese eight to one.

The men were silent as they pierced through the lingering smog which covered the entire bay, and Umi couldn't help but hold onto her sword's grip; because once they reach the banks, there is no turning back. Facing her men, the bluenet couldn't help but feel sorry as she could hear their frantic whispers filling the sultry breeze; plunging her once more into worrying for her fiancé.

 _Seishiro . . ._

She looks down upon the rusted deck with eyes on the verge of tears; but was interrupted by the sergeant who noticed the unearthly frown beset upon her face.

"Ma'am, is there something that bothers you?" He asked.

Umi then gave off a shallow smile and responds, "Nothing . . . I'm alright, thanks for your concern."

The ruffled sea dog confidently removes his helmet and cap to feel the wind rushing through his grey streaked hair; before cradling his rifle to strike a hearty conversation with the novice marine.

"Based on how you act back there, I am guessing that this is your first time to head into battle?"

"Yes." She blandly replied.

"Not trying to be rude here but . . . I served under your father once." He then finishes it off with a grin strewn across his leathery face, while picking up a cigarette from his coat's chest pocket; waiting for someone kind enough to give him a light. Meanwhile, upon hearing her father being mentioned; Umi felt relieved that there was someone else who knew her dearest Papa.

"So you're a former guardsman I presume?" She butted in while flicking out a lighter; and the guy gives off a smirk as the fire's slithering tongue touched the shredded tobacco which burned it in kind, huffing out some greyish plumes with sheer delight.

"Yep, he was a kind man . . . so kind that he even shared his rations and wages with us."

"I'm glad to hear that from you, Mr . . ."

"Sato, Junichi Sato . . ." He promptly suggests, then reached out for a shake.

"Well, glad to meet you Sergeant Sato." Umi reluctantly swallowed her pride and accepted the old bull's gesture of friendship; even if the world around them was being plunged into the downward spiral of savagery and chaos. And after a brief exchange of amicable smiles, the sergeant separated from the bluenet's grip and returned to enjoy a veteran's favourite pastime.

"You also look like him, even if your gender tells otherwise." He nonchalantly remarked while his eyes were latched upon the embers which slowly dissipated into the mist.

"I . . . well, thanks." The lieutenant stammers for a bit, but after half a stick was consumed by his voracious huffs; the former guardsman rolled his tanned orbs unto those amber pairs and jeered, "But . . . You can never inherit his bravery, no matter how hard you try."

Insulted by this, Umi interjected upon the man's rude statement; but made sure she delivered it with respect, for he is a seasoned trooper and a guardsman.

"I admit that I am inexperienced and such, but isn't it wrong to judge someone just because she's a girl?"

Feeling that the cigarette was reduced to a smouldering stub; the sergeant confidently wore his helmet back and ended the conversation with a stern warning that had a hint of sarcasm on it.

"Be careful when you're on the field though, because the slightest sign of cowardice could send you home on a box long before you see the enemy . . ." Spitting the useless stub onto the bay's murky waters, he then tied the straps which held the steel headdress in place before muttering Umi's honorific with a deceitful ring to it. "Ma'am."

Devastated by the distrust cast upon her by the man who was supposed to act as her aide; the young lieutenant turned to the direction of the port and thought:

 _Just because I'm a girl . . . Then what use would my four years at Otonoki be if I am as incompetent as they thought?_

Trying to find someone else to converse with, she stole a glance of the private right next to her; but it was no use as this certain _Nitosuhei_ was just giving off a dank stare to the scene of devastation, decay and forlorn hopes.

 _I guess this is how distrustful the grunts are to officers like me . . . But I'll prove them wrong, I'll show them what I'm capable of._

Clenching her fist in determination, Umi just let it slide and looked on as the bay side's unmistakable silhouette materialized within the fog; a sure sign that they will finally make landfall sooner than expected.

 _Guide me, papa. . ._

And as their boats approached the harbour, a red flare was fired by one of the lieutenants in the neighbouring craft that was half a kilometre away; signalling the end of the grievous barrage, but not without an added bonus coming from Izumo and her mates. For as soon as the flare reached the zenith of its ascent; suspicious black drums were immediately fired onto the beach, and the marines watched in awe as puffs of thick white smoke billowed forth from their barrels. Sensing that these were not only meant to cover their advance because of the saturated fog; Umi decided to open the bag dangling by her neck, before giving out the order: "Masks on."

Everyone already knew that high command was keen on eliminating their enemies by any means necessary; and all of the officers together with their men wore their masks, or face an agonizing demise from an angel of death who was never picky when it comes to its victims. With all the necessary precautions done, Umi drew a deep breath as their vessel buried its keel upon the loose sand.

 _Give me courage to lead my men to victory . . ._

"Fix bayonets." She ordered out with her hand clutching the sword's sharkskin hilt. And all around her, the sound of their filtered breaths and the uncanny rattle of the knives gave the lass a moment to reflect upon her life; remembering why she had risked coming here in the first place, even if she still had a few more months' worth of leave.

 _Seishiro . . . I'm sorry for breaking our promise, but I can't stand sitting under the cherry's shade while you suffer on this foreign land._

Then with the sudden crash of the craft's riveted door; the men of the 8th Shidan rushed towards the smoke without further hesitation, determined to secure the beachhead as soon as possible for the mechanized equipment to land on. Some had carried with them planks which they had set upon its surf for the tanks to roll on; while others struggled at lifting some crates of ammunition that was suspended upon a bamboo pole. It felt like a mile as they trudged through the makeshift barricades of crossed logs, tires and fishnets; coupled with the sand that was deliberately moistened up to hamper their advance.

 _Kuso . . ._ (Shit)

Umi felt her boots sunk with every clumsy step which also drained her energy due to the excess weight behind; but she kept on going no matter what, for a dream of a brighter future with her man was a chance that she can't afford to pass. The grunts huffed as they were also slowed by the rushed yet clever network of barricades; together with the overloaded packs which bogged them down in every step of the way. But nonetheless, their training paid off with their blades sticking out of the dense chemical smoke; only to find a scene of devastation that they had never seen in any of their careers.

The bluenet stopped from the reckless charge and stared at the pavement which was riddled with the corpses who fell from the gas attack beforehand; evidenced by their skin that melted from their bones, with those who died staring at the skyline had their eyes gouged out and shrivelled lips which revealed a plaque ridden set of teeth. Panning her amber orbs through the once bustling boulevard; the lieutenant couldn't help but feel pity at the fate of their enemies who died like dogs, never to see the radiant faces of their loved ones who expected them to come home by Christmas.

"T-this is just wrong . . ." She muttered, but then she felt something tapping the sole of her boot. Looking down, Umi saw a young conscript; still dressed in his tattered sage uniform which had the white sun patch set upon its tab. He was barely struggling to keep himself alive; as his breathing was impeded by a flap of skin which melted like wax as the noxious gas enveloped the place. It was horrible, and the lass felt that she was going to throw up after witnessing this side of war, one that is impersonal and fought from afar without a fair chance of fighting back; and all that she could do to help him was to put a bullet through his head, something which the lieutenant was hesitant to pull off.

"W-why? Of all people, why me?" She stuttered as his deep brown eyes locked onto hers; gleaming as a film of tears moved in to soothe the boy's weary soul. Hesitant to do the finishing act, she turned around and tried to go her way; but the kid still held on for dear life, soliciting some sympathy from the girl who slowly picked her nambu from its holster. Biting her lip for such a dishonourable act; she felt her hands tremble as it was lowered to aim for his forehead, while the son of Cathay just closed his eyes and braced himself for a quick and painless death. For a moment, all the grunts present upon that beach watched as Umi slowly squeezed the trigger; but right before it was pulled way back, she withdrew it for the task at hand mortified her to say the least.

"I . . . I can't do this . . ." She stammered while returning it to the holster, but before she could blink; an ear piercing burst of gun fire echoed through the poisoned air, startling everyone including the lieutenant who then turned to see who did the fatal shot. Her pupils widened after finding out that it was Nico who gave the coup de grace to their sworn adversary; cocking the bolt to expel a smoking cartridge. Speechless as it almost hit her foot; Umi stared at the raven's face and quaked in fear as the right eye emitted a crimson glow which seeped through its lens, while the other half was just reflecting the light coming from the chemical infested beach. Slinging her rifle by the shoulder, Nico turned and walked away together with the rest of the veteran crew; while the bluenet was left to see the corpse lying face up, smiling with a hint of tears running down his cheeks as his dying wish was fulfilled. Horrified but at the same time relieved, she held onto her helmet's visor and knelt down; closing the boy's eyes and thought, _what am I fighting for?_ Before lagging behind with the rest of the plebes who were still shuddering from what they witnessed firsthand.

Making their way through an alleyway which led to the main road, Umi narrowed her gaze towards the superior private who called the shots; marching on without even muttering a single word, while the ex border guards were passing their time by telling some jokes and laughing like a pack of jackals. Remembering what the sergeant said during their transit; the bluenet just rubbed her arm and frowned.

 _I guess the old man was right; I am nothing more than a coward._

It was already noon when they had finally reached the main road, and the young officer felt rather spooked at the sight of a white teddy bear which lay near a dead child's hand; while burnt shells of high end cars were scattered about, and the troops couldn't help but pay their respects to the fallen little lass whose life was cut short by shot and shell. Stopping by the remains, Umi clasped her hands and spared a moment of silence; followed by the greenhorns who also did the same, before they left her to be buried by the army's mopping up crews.

 _War is horrible, and everyone suffers a terrible fate; nothing is sacred, nothing is spared . . . even those who are already dead._

Severely handicapped by the mask's circular lens; they were not even able to see far out, due to the effects of the gas which had diluted into the morning mist, creating a stagnant and heavy fog which allowed only a few feet of visibility. And hours ever since the fateful landing, Sonoda and her men tread through the scenery of ruined shops and apartments without any hopes of seeing the warm rays of the noonday sun, while the poisonous mist lay stagnant on the streets of this godforsaken land; by which they were treated with a morbid spectacle of death and decay as corpses were strewn about like hay.

But they must shrug it off and carry on, for soldiers must follow orders without question or regret.

With rifles aimed at the windows, they precariously tread through cobbled road that was also littered with rubble and pieces of wood; while a gloomy facade of bullet ridden walls loomed high above them, a silent witness at the unrelenting savagery wrought upon by the curse of war. The sound of silence was something they couldn't just ignore, as it meant that danger was lurking on a corner; waiting for them to make a wrong turn. Sporadic gunfire echoed from a distance; while the unmistakable growl of a plane's engine hummed like a twisted lullaby up above the gloomy skyline, followed by blatant drumbeats which were a sign that the bombings had never stopped since they were deployed. Slowly but surely, it had weathered down the marine's bitter resolve; as they became quite paranoid with Umi aiming her pistol whenever a tiny bit of sound could be heard, with the other on the ready to strike anyone who comes in her way.

But in the midst of the looming tension caused by this sadistic weapon of war; the bluenet caught up with the little girl and took a succinct glimpse, admiring the bravery shown to her by this lowly grunt that never flinched at the grim sideshow unfolding all around her.

"Hey." She chimed, but Nico didn't respond at all; then Umi paused for a bit to try a different approach, tugging by the raven's sleeve which finally did the trick of stopping her from marching on. Trying to be friendly, the bluenet tapped onto her shoulder and said "It was really kind of you to do that favour back there. . ." then the superior private looked around for a bit; as if showing her distrust at the way she approached her.

"Don't worry, there's no need to answer . . . but all I could say is thank you for sparing my conscience." Umi then lets out a sarcastic chuckle when suddenly; a streak of yellow flashed at her sight, followed by an resounding "clang" as it hit a private's helmet, causing it to fly off with bits of his scalp.

"Sniper!" A corporal yelled out, and the bluenet stared at the general direction where the shot came from; disregarding her safety while others already scrambled for cover. But it was followed by another flash; missing her by a mile, perhaps hitting another unlucky grunt.

Shocked by the sudden turn of events she yelled "Sakini, ute!"(They're ahead of us, open fire!) aiming her nambu and squeezing off a few quick shots into the mist; and watched as the area in front of them became lit up simultaneously with a yellowish hue, and it became clear that they had been led into a chokehold set up by a determined enemy. The unmistakable "cloth ripping" sound of the German licensed 7.92mm Type 21 heavy machinegun pinned them down miserably with no hopes of firing back; accompanied with the barks of the standard issue Mauser rifles, one of which could be from the marksman which gave some a guaranteed ticket to be sent home in an earthen urn. Bullets flew at wanton, chipping bricks and pieces of wood with a horrendous crash; for it was designed with suppression in mind, trying to keep a dozen heads down with the rifles finishing the job with a well aimed shot. But being in the wrong side of its barrel was horrifying as well; for you just don't know where it could hit, and all the Imperials could do was to lie as low as their body permits.

But it was a different story for the former guards of the Kwantung; perching their Arisakas atop the fallen walls for a showdown with the olive clad Nationalists, they boldly stood their ground, setting an example for the plebes to follow. Confidently sending some shots while moving towards the side for a flanking manoeuvre; Nico and the rest of the gang were casting shell after shell, chiming in quick succession as it was expelled by each pull of the bolt. Inspired by these seasoned warriors of the tundra; some of the neophytes moved from cover to cover, laying down volleys towards the suspected machinegun nest for a moment of glory. Others weren't lucky though, for as soon as they moved; their bodies were immediately torn apart by the Type 21, fusing the stale mist with their blood.

Meanwhile, Umi hid behind a fallen section of wall; trying to recover her wits as fear crept into her heart like the cold hand of death, further dissolving her confidence and morale.

"P-please . . . Make it stop . . ." Looking out the street, her pupils shrunk when she witnessed a private being hit by the sniper's bullet right in the middle where his eyes met; falling to the cold cobblestone road with eyes set upon hers. Trying to escape the grim reality that was now unfolding all around her; the future colonel cried like a child, hugging her legs while the bricks were slowly chipped away with each strafing shot.

"I don't want to die!" She screamed in hopes to be spared, but the Chinese was determined to defend their land to the last; and was not afraid to kill in order to keep the Japanese away. And in hopes of retaliating at the sudden attack; the squad's light machine gunners perched their type 86 onto their comrade's shoulder for a makeshift firing position, replying in kind with a deadly burst of .303. While almost all the riflemen on her platoon were abusing their Arisakas by pulling the bolt rather violently; as their hearts were engulfed by sheer terror, sometimes casting off unspent rounds onto the ground. They were pinned down with no hopes of escape, as the sniper was keen to pick off even the slightest hint of cloth which ended up on his telescopic sight; killing off a quarter of the greenhorns who severely underestimated the marksman's skill by partially exposing their crowns. Umi slightly opened her eyes once more and saw the men fighting for their lives; while some were already bleeding by the pavement, calling out their mother's name as their comrade pressed his wound to stop the crimson flow. Others dragged the fallen in hopes of praying for them, but there were those who were callous enough to use the dead as a shield so they could field some more rounds.

"Hang in there buddy, you're a marine! Stay strong!" A corporal held onto his friend's shivering hand as he lay dying by the sides; shot through the neck with his eyes bulging as the pain was too much for him to handle. Sensing that he's going to die, he just muttered "G-Gomen . . ." while coughing out copious amounts of blood which dripped onto his chest; and after a few desperate gasps, the man's pupils rolled up and he lay dead on his comrade's arms, leaving the corporal to cry some silent tears for his long time friend.

"You fucking bastard! You're the one who convinced me to sign up! Now you're leaving me? Wake up! Wake up you fool!" He desperately shook his friend's pale corpse, followed by howls of pain after realizing that his peer is already gone; killed in a foreign land. It was a thought which haunted Umi ever since; as dying on a land not their own was considered dishonourable for a samurai like her. Foolish perhaps, as a soldier was expected to throw his life away whenever; wherever, and such an argument is invalid. And besides, it's still her decision to come and save her fiancé anyway; so she better man up or suffer the same fate as the private.

Diverting her gaze to the former guardsmen who were already situated farther out front, Umi was amazed at the way Sergeant Sato inspired those who had followed his lead, lobbing grenades towards the trenches; clearing it out while Nico covered them with the light machinegun she had picked from one of the fallen.

"Goddamn it greenhorns! Do you even lift?" The chief petty officer yelled out while smashing the protruding primer onto his helmet; while the cartridges coming from the type 86 held by the little girl cascaded down the rubble like a pile of coins, reflecting a meagre bit of sunlight as tumbled to its final resting place.

"Sugoi . . ." was the only word she could describe the foolhardy men who risked it all to prove that they were a force to be reckoned with; and was severely embarrassed that she wasn't able to do her task as an officer. In hopes of redeeming her reputation and Otonoki's prestige; Umi clutched her katana and reached for the whistle to order a command to charge.

 _I must step up, if the NCO's could do it; I know I could!_

Crouching on the ready to spring into action; she bit the whistle's lip and huffed a hearty gust of air, but was stopped when she heard an unearthly creak coming from the Chinese lines. Poking out to determine what it was, she was shocked see to that a tank had entered the fray; firing its 37mm gun which pulverized the low wall that protected the courageous plebes, sending some to retreat while others stayed and was immediately exterminated by the infantrymen trailing behind.

"Fall back!" Sato yelled while throwing a bail charge at the vehicle before pulling out; while Nico tried to hold her position but realized that there were no more spare magazines to feed the beast, tossing it aside and picked her trusty rifle before following the sergeant's lead. A constant hail of lead bombarded them as they retreated; causing some to fall like the crisp leaves of autumn, shrivelling in agony before gasping their final breaths. But the veterans proved that with a dash of courage and unrelenting resolve; nothing can stand on their way.

But now with a tank and no decent equipment to eliminate its presence on the field; all they could do is huddle behind the rubble once more, hoping that a miracle could save them as nothing could stop the mechanized menace at its steady advance. Discouraged and at the same time terrorized by this crawling tinderbox, Umi cowered back to the relative safety of the low wall and tried to gain some comfort by closing her eyes; but no matter what she did, the voices of those who still fought on and the ones who lay dying echoed through her senses like the howls of the damned.

"Tasukete! . . . Dare ka!" (Help me! Somebody!) A man pleaded out as he lay right in the middle of the road; holding onto a stump where his foot once was, screaming in agony as his fluids were drained away as bullets kicked up some dirt around him. Then as soon as he wailed, the tank's 7.93's lets loose of a hail of lead, silencing him forever without any hopes of seeing his child. Losing all hope as splinters flew by her nape; Umi removed her black leather gloves to reveal the ring which bore their promise of eternal love, crying some sultry tears which fogged up her lens.

"I am sorry Papa . . . and also to you Seishiro for failing you both." Clearing her throat, she sticks the pistol's barrel onto her chin; looking at the sky in hopes of seeing a glint of light, but sadly there's none to give her a moment's reprieve.

"I guess, the sergeant was right . . . I am a coward, a useless officer who thought that battles were nothing more than a walk in the park . . ." Puckering her lips to give it a stint of moisture; she slowly closed her eyes and tediously pulled the trigger, guilty for being a useless daughter who only watched as her father committed ritual suicide to redeem her family's pride. But before the gun went off; a furious scream was heard across the battlefield, it's high pitched voice resembling like that of a ten year old girl which cried out "Anata bakageta chui!" (You stupid lieutenant!) causing the bullet to miss her head; while her wrist became numb after it was kicked like a ball. Reeling from the excruciating pain caused by the reckless act of rage; Umi held onto her hand and stammered out "N-Nico?! W-what are you do . . ." but was silenced when a swift punch was dealt to her cheek, knocking the bluenet to the pavement. Meanwhile, the fire fight went on nonetheless; but all the soldiers were stealing glimpses at the harsh reprisal their officer was receiving from a mere second class seaman.

Grabbing the helpless lass by the collar; Nico drew Umi closer to her face, the sound of their filtered breaths becoming stronger with each passing second. Raising her hand for another strike, the latter tried to defend herself from the demon's wrath; but to no avail as her strength was already drained by stress, whimpering like helpless pup as she was squeezed to a pip by the girl's iron grasp.

"This is what the problem with you academy dorks . . ." She then lets loose of another punch; making the ensign cough out as her lips were already swelling within the mask.

" . . . Thinking that you know everything that happens on the battlefield and acting so fucking smart but is in fact a total weakling who pees on their pants!"

"O-onegai . . ." Umi pleaded for the insubordinate behaviour to stop; but was instead smashed a couple of times against the post, gasping as she felt her shoulder blades broke. But the child wasn't satisfied yet, as she continued to vent her anger towards their designated platoon leader.

"Look around you! Your incompetence cost the lives of our comrades! They had family, or even a child who waits under the shade of the cherry tree; carrying with them a letter for their father! How could you live with that? What will you tell their families?! That they died all because you didn't have the balls to lead us?" Nico snapped and in a final attempt to teach her a lesson; she tried to pull the mask off the bluenet's bruised face, all the while those dastardly pair of crimson eyes shone through the guise's circular lens. Umi wheezed as her senses were overwhelmed by the putrid smell of garlic, while her throat felt like it was strangled by the chemicals within the horrid gas. She twitched like mad as the agony became quite unbearable for her to breathe; desperately clawing against the pavement in hopes to alleviate her suffering.

"I'll let you feel the suffering we grunts went through while you shiver in fear!"

 _I guess, this is it . . ._ She thought as her vision blurred while the burning sensations were further amplified by the bruises on her cheek; letting go of her fabled sword which had accompanied her during the early years growing up alone on her aunt's stead. Thinking of the times she had shared with Honoka and Kotori; Umi smiled when finally, the heavens opened up to receive her soul together with those who died that day. Muttering her final words, she closed those beautiful pair of amber orbs and said "Papa, I'm coming home . . ."

But fate wasn't finished with her yet, and in the blink of an eye; Sergeant Sato pinned the raging demon to the ground, while two of her fellow plebes helped her sit to recuperate her wits. Struggling like mad to get off the sea dog's hold; Nico heckled out: "They had dreams! But you sent them to their deaths because of your cowardice!" snapping the lieutenant from her dreamy trance and waking her up to the consequences of her actions. Scanning through the street that was littered with men who bathed in a pool of blood; the lass hung her head in shame while staring at her reflection cast upon the sword's gleaming blade.

 _All these men . . . they are almost the same age as mine . . ._

Helmets and gears were strewn about, with rifles were snapped in two from the ferocity of the attack; while the tank trampled some of the corpses under its caterpillar tracks, crushing them like a bundle of grapes on a winepress. It seemed that her perception of reality was blurred from the blatant dialogue of guns and men; but she could clearly discern the words coming from Nico's mask, even if it was deliberately muffled by the sound of war.

"A person like you is better off dead!"

"Enough!" the old man spat; but the girl still tried to let herself loose from his callous hold.

"Don't you dare make the same mistake again Yazawa!" Sato continued on, effectively silencing the raven from her incessant ranting and murderous rampage.

Realizing that it was indeed her fault why they were sent into this deadly situation; Umi tried to give out a sincere apology for her dishonourable act. The two veterans then watched as the girl supported her weight by nailing the sword to the ground; trying to stand up as she huffed out "I know . . . that that you c-can't forgive me for what I've done . . ." but as soon as she spoke, a high velocity round came from a corner and ripped the tank to mere scraps of metal. Seeing that their hopes of crushing the Japanese were dashed away by a shell coming from a PaK 36; the Nationalists ran back into the safety of the mist, garnering victorious cries from the men of the 8th Yokosuka who were relieved at the miracle that was bestowed upon them. Puzzled at the sudden turn of events, the old sergeant stood up with rifle on the ready; as he saw figures walking out an alleyway. Cocking the bolt, he challenged the approaching men with a stern warning: "Introduce yourselves or we will not hesitate to shoot!"

Lifting their rifles in the air; the leader of the group spoke out "Kaigun Shosha, Seishiro Kanzaki; Shanhai kaigun joriku butai!" (Captain Seishiro Kanzaki, Shanghai Naval Landing Forces)

Hearing the captain's voice, the bluenet's amber orbs glistened with sheer joy. And unable to contain the immense feeling of anticipation which brewed within her heart; she limped towards the once besieged men in blue who had saved them instead from certain death, all the while calling out the name of her dearest pair even if her vision faded in and out of consciousness.

"Seishiro!"

Pausing for a moment, the officer of the Shanghai NLF was shocked to realize that it was his betrothed; struggling to keep her consciousness in one piece. Casting his cares away, he ran towards the befuddled lass who knelt after feeling rather dizzy from the noxious gas; responding in kind with utter concern.

"Umi!"

But when she could finally discern those pair of tanned orbs peeking behind its lens; her body surrendered from the sheer stress from being beaten up and inhaling the noxious gas, collapsing in the arms of the dear paramour whom she risked her life and future to be with.

* * *

"Where am I?" Umi finds herself standing in the middle of a field full of hyacinths and periwinkles which coated the landscape with its eccentric shades of purple and blue. Bewildered at the sudden change of scenery; the girl dusted her eyes and realized that she had become smaller, dressed in a lovely blue dress and a pair of black lolita shoes. Pursing her lips out of curiosity; the bluenet walked through the field with hands held out to feel the flower's alluring petals as it brushed against her palm, all the while giggling as its sweet scent gave a surreal stint of comfort to her battered soul.

 _I remember now, I was with my father here . . ._

Staring beyond the horizon with a hand set above her lovely amber pairs; the child panned to the scene of low hanging clouds which looked like the manes of sheep, her cheeks displaying a hint of warmth as evidenced by its rosy red hue. Butterflies flew in random directions together with the bumbling bees; and Umi couldn't help but let off an innocent cackle as a monarch landed on the tip of her nose.

 _It's been a while since I've seen one of these._ She gleefully thought, all the while crossing her eyes as it flapped its majestic pair of wings. But then the lass felt her nose giving out an itch, and with a very loud sneeze; the butterfly flew towards the noonday sun, dissipating into its radiant glare. Realizing that it was just a dream, she sat at the lavender posies and tried to think why she had been so naive; playing by a distant memory that was never even meant to be remembered once again. For it was the day when her father died, and the young heiress was supposed to be on her way from school; but oddly enough, her feet led her to a mysterious field which bloomed under the blissful song of spring.

 _This is just a dream, but it feels so real._

Tugging against her braided twin tails; she tried to snap out from the clutches of perceived reality, but was treated to the horror of it when the braids fell off, and the skies became tainted with a stagnant shade of red. The field of periwinkles and marigolds had disappeared with its petals flying up the stale air; leaving only a lone cherry tree that was illuminated by the dying light of the crescent moon, lamenting as its buds fell onto the blighted ground.

It was silent except for the solemn beat of the taikos, and Umi saw a different side of her; one that was lonely and afraid of her life, holding onto the moon's scorn with eyes reflecting the torment she had underwent as a child.

"Papa, why must you go?" the doppelganger muttered while staring at a small headstone where his ashes lay, oblivious at the little girl that was approaching her with pity beset upon those amber orbs.

"You promised to give a present at my birthday. . ." Kneeling at her father's grave, the demented lass gave out wails which resembled a woman giving birth; causing Umi to cringe as it was really loud that it felt her mind was being torn apart. Covering her ears in hopes of muffling the piercing shrieks of agony; she ran from the scene with her eyes closed, stopping when she bumped into someone who smelt like a decaying heap of flesh. Sensing that it could be danger, she still kept those eyes shut; but felt an eerie chill down her spine when the unknown figures spoke out:

"Valiant as we may be, trapped in a city where a clock tower stands . . . all for a cause which we thought was right."

Shivering when she felt the ground trembling under their feet; the little girl decided to open up and saw an army of skeletons still wearing their distinctive uniforms, all tattered and were bound together in chains which cluttered about as they moved in unison.

"The bonds we share are stronger than the swords we carry, and neither terror nor death can make us weary . . . but what use could it be, when the one we had been looking up to has turned his back to us?"

Faded stars and anchors adorned their rusted helms, while tiny bits of skin still clung unto their bones; flaking off like dust as their once proud martial strides were replaced by that of a condemned criminal.

"We are all but pawns, used for the sake of our leader's greed . . . and we could've all lived a normal life, yet we are here; rotting in heaps with eyes still begging for justice."

Then the death march stopped when they reached the shivering lass; standing still like the gargoyles set upon a graveyard's gate, looking far beyond the horizon with their hollowed sockets staring onto the rays of the rising sun. It was all but silent after that; and Umi found her chance to crawl away into a safer place, but was amazed at the sight of the heavens lighting up in a flash of pure white as if god had taken a photograph of this demented world.

"Su-te-ki . . ." She whispered, and stayed for a while to see the flowers growing back after the mysterious streak of light; filling the landscape once more with its lively and radiant hues.

"But with death comes life anew, and hope that the future generations will never forget the sacrifices we made for the nation we loved and cherished." Then with a gentle gust of wind, the little girl waved goodbye to the unknown soldiers of the empire which dissolved into dust and was carried away to eternal rest.

* * *

Dusting her eyes once more, Umi wakes up at a field hospital; lying on a cot that was guarded by the grunt that had beaten her up during that fateful skirmish. Smiling as the drowsy trooper struggled to keep herself up; Umi tapped onto her shoulder which garnered her attention.

"Hey . . . thanks for waking me up back there." The bluenet expressed, but was instead met by a dank stare and a nonchalant "betsuni" before it slung her rifle and left to perform her duties for the night.

 _That was a meaningful dream to me . . . but what did they mean by the city where a clock tower still stands?_ Pausing for a moment to gather her wits; Umi then looked at her right hand that was bandaged up after being kicked by the zealous grunt.

 _I don't blame her for causing this injury at all . . . for she has the all right to challenge my frail judgement._

It was dark and there was no lamp to give her a sense of comfort; while she felt that it was getting colder by the second as she wore only her cotton tees, breeches and socks. Wondering where her coat and boots had went; she tried to reach out for it underneath, but was instead rewarded by clumps of rubble and stone. Massaging her temples to lessen the stress and a throbbing headache; she decided to sit herself up, and was relieved to know that her body could still function except her dislocated wrist and sore back. Finding the uniform and boots neatly folded on a table, she gathered the guts to stand up and walk out the tent's canvass hull; and was surprised to discover the soldiers huddling by the fire, singing some tunes as the embers melted into the starlit sky.

 _It's good to see a different side of my men . . ._

Limping on as she tried to mingle with them, one of the boys saw their superior and took the initiative to help her out; but the bluenet refused his offer and insisted to walk on her own, and upon reaching the radiant warmth of the lowly campfire, she was greeted by hearty "Konbanwa" from her men.

"Ma'am, are you alright?" One of them inquired, earning a cocky response from the blue haired lieutenant who exclaimed "Never been better!"

She was then offered a can filled with hot broth; by which she duly accepted with respect, before taking a sip and giggling like an innocent lass as it surely did its job of warming up her senses.

"I'm glad you liked it ma'am!" A marine in blue hollered out, while her men continued to play with shadow figures as there was a wall situated right behind them. Putting out a grin with the broth steaming by her hand; the lieutenant gazed on as the boys were immersed in a moment of wanton cackles and seemingly absurd form of entertainment.

"Kanade! Look! It's a bird!" A trooper jests as he puts his hand together and flapped it like crazy.

"Psh, that's bullshit. This one's a gun." The guy then moved his thumb to simulate an act of firing, soliciting a question from one of his mates.

"Why you do that?"

Hunching his shoulders, the private retorts "Guns beat birds, end of story."

Umi then directed her attention towards the veterans who are standing by the corner of their camp; smoking some cigarettes with a bottle of whiskey in hand. Curious at why they didn't try to associate themselves with the plebes and outdated grunts; she stood up and walked towards them to apologize for the cowardly act she had shown earlier, especially to the sergeant who risked crossing the firing line just to save her from Nico's rage. Recognizing her from afar, the senior officer removed the fuming stick from his mouth and gave off a salute; garnering one in return from the flustered officer. And upon reaching their midst and swallowing her ego, Umi sheepishly asked:

"Why are you guys here? Aren't you supposed to be on the fire warming up with us?"

The sergeant just took a huff and threw the smouldering stump onto the rubble and jests "We're here to prepare the fallen for their graduation ceremony."

Taking a peek through Sato's shoulder, she saw corpses neatly wrapped in their blankets; lying on a clearing with the rest of the crew stitching their remains in place. Feeling responsible and guilty over the untimely deaths of these young souls, Umi just hung her head in shame and muttered a disheartened "Oh" which garnered a friendly response from the men of the Kwantung.

"It's okay; we all feel scared during our first taste of combat." One of them spoke out, by which the others agreed and shrugged the heavy feeling of sorrow by laughing it off. Still unfazed by their amicable assurance, Umi rubbed her shoulder and groaned "I saw the way you fought back there, and to be honest; It really made me jealous." She then returned to sulk some more from the billowing feeling of regret in her chest.

Tapping her shoulder to comfort the dreary lass, the sergeant directed her towards the plebes who were enjoying the moment with their shadow play and asks "Does it look like they're blaming you?"

He then continued on as the boys laughed till their heart's content; dancing like idiots as the fire illuminated their radiant smiles, something which tugged their callous hearts which saw nothing else but death and decay.

"The truth is, we envy the plebes for being carefree . . . As we are living each and every day, thinking of our dear comrades who lost the race; men who are much deserving to live rather than us."

The bluenet then puts her worries aside and smiled; agreeing with the old man's statement with a very curt "I guess so."

With the cigarette break over, the sergeant just gave one last tap on her shoulder and yelled "Alrighty then! Pick up your rifles for its time to wave our last good byes' to those who won the fucking lottery!" Hearing the old bull's command; the plebes together with the men in blue rushed to their rifles and ran towards the clearing with lightened souls. And as the rest of the seasoned warriors went to pay their final respects to the men they shared their burdens, Umi remained and looked on with tears on her eyes as the corpses were stacked above the pile of wood that was soaked in kerosene; torched in earnest as a man tossed the campfire's fodder on its midst, while all of them watched as their dear old friends were engulfed by a raging inferno which symbolized the transition from a mere mortal to a hallowed god.

Her amber orbs glistened as the embers flew like fireflies amidst the billowing pillar of smoke; while their bones crackled as the fire bathed them generously with its radiance, reducing their once admirable physique to nothing more than ashes and dust.

 _From dust we came, and to dust we return._

Picking up his sword from its lacquered sheath, the sergeant then ordered to give a volley of gunfire which will serve as a parting gift and reminder to those who remained; that life is short and must be spent together with the ones they hold dear, by which the grunts lined up by their respective platoons and aimed their rifles against starlit sky, waiting for his command to give the final gesture of honour and respect to their fallen kinsmen.

But the lass couldn't bear to witness the solemn climax of this hallowed ceremony; turning her back as Sato prepared to swipe it down with bitter resolve. Fixing her eyes upon the shredded path filled with jutting iron bars and chips of concrete; she cringed as volleys crackled like a burst of lightning, giving off a faint ochre spark which coloured the surroundings as it was fired.

 _I'm sorry, but I can't watch them leave as this lingering burden of responsibility hangs within my heart._

Panning around to know where they had set up base, she was surprised discover the ruins of a large building that had large chains hanging from its skeletonised ceiling with hooks attached.

 _This must be an old car factory . . ._

Entering through its fallen iron door, she saw car springs that were neatly arranged in clusters; while its machineries and acetylene tanks were strewn about as if it was abandoned in a hurry by its workers. She was amazed at the sight of the moon's lucent beams shining through the steel trusses that had once held its roof; partially lighting up the dials which still crunched its numbers before all hell broke loose. But as she was about to pick up some blueprints to satiate her curiosity, someone was already guarding her every move; emitting a greyish haze as it leaned by the rusted railing by the second floor.

"I didn't know that you were too nosy for an officer." The figure spoke out with a childlike voice which Umi immediately recognized. Putting up a stern demeanour then facing the grunt that skilfully jumps down without a sound; the bluenet confronted her and scowled "While you're too violent even for a seasoned veteran."

Whisking some dust off her shoulders, the demon walked towards her with arms spread out as if to demonstrate her point; and Umi was treated with the shock of her life when the moon's sullen shade finally revealed the true identity of the seaman whom the admiral had warned of hours before. Flashing an insidious grin which seemed to reach the ears and vivid red eyes which longed for the bland taste of blood; the bluenet quaked at the sight of the demented beast who was rumoured to be the Empress' lost daughter, one whom the soldiers affectionately referred to as Himeko.

"Nico . . . w-what are you?" she stammered, by which the raven giggled and responded with a tone that was quite charming so to say; resembling a courtesan's own as it tried to comfort their clients with empty words for the sake of monetary compensation.

"I am just a child who was born without a name and family to cling onto. . ." the private then leaned into her ear and whispered "This is the real me Sonoda . . . and for the record, my name is Akame; as the Nico you referred to was already long dead."

Subduing the raven's hand which was perched onto her shoulder; the bluenet reasoned out "You wrote her name on the flag, therefore I have every right to call you that!" soliciting a very naughty response from the trooper who slid her finger down her cleavage.

"Very well then, call me whoever you want . . ."

She then grabbed her superior's collar and slithered her tongue to feast upon the feeling of utter dread which emanated from Umi's soul.

"But remember, I won't give any second thoughts on wiping you off this earth once I see the slightest hint of weakness under your command."

With that said, she lets go of her and simply walked away towards the farthest side of the factory's shadowy interior; leaving Lieutenant Sonoda to recuperate from the aura of terror which pierced through her spirit like a knife.

 _Top brass sure has some secrets hidden within their closet, and Akame is just the tip of the iceberg . . . I think I'm getting closer to determining who is behind my father's death._

She then heard quaint footsteps coming from the other end of the hallway; but this time, Umi was already prepared to lash out just in case the sadist returned to torment her once more, nervously holding onto the heirloom's sharkskin hilt. But instead of the distinctive khaki her men wore into battle; it was a very subtle shade of blue with a streak of white upon the soldier's knee, calming her dreary soul and standing her guard down while calling out:

"Seishiro? Seishiro is that you?"

The figure then removed his helmet and revealed himself under the fading hues of the full moon; making the lady shrug off the feelings of dread, and smile once again.

"Yes Umi, it's me."

Casting her fears away, the bluenet ran towards her paramour who caught the gal with an endearing embrace; both of them crying in streams after seeing each other for a very long time, a year to be exact but it felt like an eternity for these star crossed lovers. Sobbing onto his broad shoulder, Umi tried to apologize for breaking her promise made on that lonely church; but was hushed by the captain who felt her cerulean locks that was cut to shoulder length to conform by the rules.

"There's no need to say sorry, for I am also at fault for letting you wait that long."

"B-but . . ."

He then separated from their embrace and held her hand, telling her to come with him with a voice that was smooth and caring.

"Follow me; I have something to show you."

Trusting her better half, the lass nodded like child and was led by him towards a very large garden of glass; perhaps owned by a wealthy person who left in a hurry because of the sound of war. It was all fogged up as the moisture was unregulated for quite some time, and Seishiro got a piece of cloth which he wrapped onto her honey glazed orbs; as if there was something really worth seeing within its fragile walls. Her heart beats even faster when he opened its gate; and Umi felt his hand gently perched onto her back; giving her a nudge as her nose took a whiff of the sweet fragrance of whatever was planted there. And after a few minutes of being led through its faded tile floor; he lifted the shroud which blinded her for quite some time, and after her eyes got used to the dim light, she was rewarded by the sight of a Chinese wall creeper plant that displayed its crimson leaves under the moonlight's fading hue which seeped through a crack on its roof.

"But that's not the one I was trying to let you see Umi . . ." Turning to her lover to face him; her pupils widened when captain Kanzaki presented to her a bouquet of roses, all gleaming in vibrant red, supple pink, and innocent white, lathered with tiny droplets of dew cast upon its fragrant petals. Unable to find the words to appreciate the man's simple gesture of affection; Umi felt rather embarrassed to take it from him, but Seishiro drew a curve upon his lips and tried explained how these plants still looked fresh after the beginning of hostilities.

"I've been taking care of this garden since we stumbled upon this place. . . But we were amazed that these plants still flourished amidst the poisonous air which high command had unleashed."

Umi then accepted his gift and took a succinct sniff; chuckling like a tot as the scent calmed her senses. He then pointed her out to rows upon rows of these beautiful plants which also included orange, yellow and lavender ones; each having its own meaning to a florist.

"So, after a year of staying here; I am surprised to learn that you've become a florist rather than sticking as a marine . . ." She jested in hopes of reducing the flush on her cheeks.

"Not really . . ." he retorted and felt rather shy about finding a more productive hobby while waiting for his time to file his leave before continuing on with a lopsided grin to hide his embarrassment.

"For my men helped save these plants from succumbing to neglect and this beleaguering curse of war." The captain tried to divert her attention by leading her once more towards the building which joined the vast garden of roses; and upon reaching its topmost floor, treated her to the sight of Shanghai's tranquil skyline, floating above the devastation caused by the clash of the eastern powers.

"Every night before I retire to my quarters, I always look at this tranquil piece of heaven that seemed to be unfazed by our constant bickering over a piece of dirt."

Impressed at the front row view Seishiro had bestowed upon her; she gawked as a meteor shower fell from the twinkling band of stars which covered its entirety, a daily scene of beauty which revived the frail humanity that resided deep within her battered soul. Tightening her grip upon his hand; her tears soon fell after witnessing the final meteor falling into the backdrop of ruins and smouldering embers, soliciting a very concerned look upon her lover's face.

"Umi, is there something which bothers you?"

 _I think it's time for him to know this . . ._ Facing the man whom she promised to marry after this conflict is over; the Lieutenant wiped her tears off with the cotton sleeve and told him about the trauma she had gone through as a child.

Staring at his tanned orbs, Umi gently muttered his name; garnering very kind response from her man.

"Seishiro . . ."

"Hmm?"

Then with a slight pause, she tried to hold it back and call it a day; but decided not to when she remembered her father's words, spoken a night before committing the fateful act of Hara-kiri.

"Always remember my child, it is useless keep your secrets forever; for there will come a time when it will be exposed in the eyes of the world."

Pursing her lip, she then held both his hands and tried to test his love for her; but winced for a moment to hold back the overwhelming fear of rejection which had just surfaced within her heart. Staring straight into his hazel orbs, the fair maiden muttered the words with a very frail tone.

"What if I told you that I was raped as a child, would you still marry me?"

Awaiting his harsh response, Umi averted from his gaze and tried to calm herself down for it was a difficult one to answer perhaps; as men mostly preferred women who are pure back on those days, considering those who are tainted with the lusts of the flesh as unclean and undesirable for marriage. But the captain's resolve was something that is not to be underestimated; and with a determined stare set upon her eyes, he held the lass closer to him and responded without any hint of sadness or frustration on his part.

"I don't care what you had experienced back then . . ." Brushing her bangs aside, he then gave a quick peck on her forehead and continued on to speak his side.

"What matters is the Umi Sonoda whom I knew from the academy, the one who had accepted my proposal which I had received after you said that sweet yes on the church by the woods."

Hearing this, Umi separated from his arms and tried to contain the feeling of guilt which bubbled forth in the form of tears; but Seishiro reached out for her hand and told her something which he also tried to hide from his fiancée for years.

"I find it unfair that you told me yours, so please . . . hear me out."

Umi then looked back and stayed to listen to him as he tried to convey how their relationship bloomed in the first place. Nervously wiping the sweat off his brows, he then told her about the waver which his friends had concocted during their early days in the academy.

"I know that you'll hate me after this but . . ." taking a moment to swallow the uneasy feeling on his throat; he then continued on to speak his mind.

"The truth is, It all started with a wager if whoever was man enough to date the trio of goddesses."

Surprised at the revelation, Umi raised her brows and exclaimed "What? Us? Goddesses?" by which Seishiro nodded sheepishly in response.

"Come on, I'm not that pretty like the rest of my friends." She then giggled at the way he acted; all twitchy about revealing such an absurd reason to start a relationship which flourished during their short stay on Korea.

 _So this is who you are, a nervous little kid hiding within an iron shell . . ._

Clipping his hands behind, he then gave a lopsided smile and reasoned out "Well, I was your typical guy . . . and if you had shared that secret before, I must've fled with another girl."

Giving out a sarcastic burst of laughter, Umi felt her insecurities cowering away as it was replaced with a mix of pity and relief; by which she scrutinized him with another question while putting up a discerning stare which resembled like that of a hawk eyeing its prey.

"Then how come you stayed and made me worry this entire time?"

Seishiro then calmed himself down by taking in deep breaths; before cornering her against the door, something which made the bluenet devolve once more into a fragile little lamb. Pinching her chin while leaning in for a kiss; she squirmed as he drew close, but stopped for a while to whisper something which made her feel special above all.

"It's because you showed me time and time again that you are really worth for keeps."

Mending the gap between their lips, Umi's pupils widened when she felt his warm breath brushing the tip of her nose; making her hear the heckling voice of her stepfather who mercilessly ravaged her innocence.

"Come on now, don't be scared . . . lick it, yeah that's right."

Turning her head away while gasping desperately for air; Umi muttered "I'm s-sorry . . . I can't do this right now."

"Umi? Is there something wrong?" He stammered while laying his hand upon the bluenet's forehead. Thinking of the pain she went through; Umi withdrew from his embrace and apologized once more while adjusting her uniform's collar.

"I'm sorry, I guess I'm quite uncomfortable at the situation we're in right now."

"Oh . . . okay then." He then stepped aside to let her pass; and Umi just gave off a sigh and dusted her shoulders, shivering as it's already getting colder by the hour.

 _I . . . I can't do this._ She then leaned by the railing and watched as the stars blinked away; thinking of the beautiful scene that lay far above the destruction caused by man.

"It may seem like everything is lost down here, but the stars still shine above the darkest of clouds they say." Seishiro then stood beside the lass who just puckered her lips in shame; unable to maintain eye contact with her pair.

"You just twisted a proverb." She nonchalantly retorts, then walked towards the door with a limp; unable to forgive herself for giving in to her stepfather's desire.

"Wait!"

Stopping on her tracks, Umi felt a chill rolling down her spine as it skimmed through the leftover beads of sweat upon her nape; while her paramour ran towards her and said "Maybe we should eat our supper."

Unable to resist as her stomach growled upon his suggestion, she then tucked her arm underneath his and mumbled "Perhaps you're right."

The two then descended through the flight of stairs; with the lady still hesitant to give her well kept treasure from the man who already had her heart.

 _Maybe next time, Seishiro . . ._

Arriving by the campfire, the couple saw another officer sharing its warmth together with their men; but this time it was a captain from the elite imperial guards, all dressed in khaki with a pair of brown boots and wearing a star resting upon a wreath of laurels at its helm. Recognizing the greyish strands which dangled below its netted helmet; Umi's excitement returned once more as she called out her name.

"Kotori?!"

The guardsman then latched her amber orbs against hers, and upon realizing that it was her long lost friend; the latter ran towards her while screaming out with a distinctive pitch set upon her voice. "Umi!"

"W-wait, woah!"

The reckless captain caused her to tumble through the rubble; as it had been years since they've last met, chuckling like they were just little girls playing an innocent game of tag. While Captain Kanzaki smiled when he saw his pair sharing some giggles with the beige haired lass and decided to mingle with the rest of the crew; receiving a can of soup that really brought the warmth of his soul.

The alumnae of Otonoki then separated themselves from the group and stood by a corner; admiring each other's achievements as they were already dignified officials of their respective branches.

"I can't believe we'll meet on such an occasion like this!" Kotori beamed as she pinched the bluenet's cheek.

"Y-yeah . . ." Rolling her eyes away; Umi sort of regrets calling her out in the first place, for her unusually bubbly personality caught her off guard.

 _I never knew Kotori could be this hyped after seeing me. . ._

Feeling that her sores were throbbing as the grey haired gal tugged at it; Umi tried to stop her, but on a polite manner that couldn't hurt the girl's very thin veil of emotions.

"K-kotori . . ."

"Yes?"

"Could you please let my cheek go? My sores sort of hurt right now."

Letting go of her friend's jowl; the guardsman then bowed to atone for her blameless act of fooling around.

"Gomen-ne Umi chan."

Rubbing the afflicted part while putting up a lopsided smile; Umi just stroked her friend's curious grey strands and answered "There's no need for such formalities Kotori, apology accepted."

Unveiling a futon upon the scorched earth, they both lay in opposite seams; with both of their heads facing each other and the rest of the body in opposite directions. Staring at the sky with eyes filled with hope; Kotori started the formal conversation by beaming out "Hey Umi chan, had you ever wished upon a star?"

Raising her slender brows at the seemingly innocent question; Umi rested upon her arms and duly retorts "No, I haven't."

The hopeful lass then reached out towards the sky, and Umi couldn't help but feel really jealous about Kotori's uncanny optimism towards life; for when she was still within the hallowed walls of the academy, the bluenet had always looked up on her for advice.

"I think you're just too shy to admit, but I know that you had tried it at least one or two times before . . ." she then sat at its edge and looked at the marine with a smile earning a stark refusal from the lieutenant who was pretty shy to admit her true feelings towards her peers; something which the captain of the guards and her ginger friend had known for quite some time.

"Come on Kotori, grow up . . . we're already twenty years old." She then heard the guardsman tittering at her opinion; causing her to ask "What's so funny about that?"

Finishing it with a snort, Kotori removed her helm and cap; revealing those lustrous beige locks that had been cut to shoulder length just like hers.

"During these darkest of days Umi . . . there has to be somebody that we could call on for help." she then returned to stare into the blanket of stars which littered the night sky; while Lieutenant Sonoda tried to inquire about their friend whom she had heard to be serving under the 11th IJA, a unit that was headed by General Iwane Matsui.

"Minami san . . ."

"Hmm?" she whined.

"How's our dear friend Honoka doing?"

Rubbing the dirt off the bridge of her nose, the taupe haired lass courteously responds to her friend's inquiry.

"I honestly don't know where she is right now."

Giggling from her friend's answer, Umi sat beside and saw faint spatters of blood on the brunette's right shoulder. Narrowing her eyes, the marine discovered that she was shot by a pistol; probably that of the Mauser C96, a common issue for a Chinese officer.

Noticing her friend's nefarious glare, the witty Rikugun Shosa blurts out "It's scary that you're the type of person who's very keen on details." then latched those honey kissed orbs against her own; soliciting an earnest remark from the blue haired lass.

"While you are really fond of hiding your weaknesses Minami san." Diverting her gaze towards the wound, Umi continued to scrutinize her comrade's current situation; pointing it out before muttering "Since when did you . . ." but was suddenly interrupted with the taupe's firm response.

"Just now, while we were patrolling through a residential district."

"Is that so?" She then took her handkerchief and tried to wipe the fresh smears off her coat; an act which the future general of the 25th Army blatantly refused with a smile still set on her face.

"Come on, at least let me help you stop the bleeding."

"No, I could manage myself Umi chan." The captain stood up and adjusted her sword's tie; by which Umi did the same but confronted her for being reckless.

"You had ordered your men to storm in, didn't you?"

"Yes, yes I did." The grey haired lass blandly retorts as she wore her cap and helmet.

"So after a few years of missing me, now you're leaving?"

Captain Minami duly nods and apologized for wasting her time; as she and her unit were ordered to sweep towards the north in hopes of trapping the 88th NRA that was holed up at Zhabei district.

"I'm sorry for bothering you Umi, but I have to follow orders and march." She then calls for a guardsman to carry her pack; then bowed in respect to her friend who was clearly displeased at the very short span of their long sought after reunion.

"Please, the streets are littered with Kuomintang . . . you could at least spare the orders till daybreak's bell." She begged, but Kotori gave her a decisive glare; something which she really finds offsetting.

 _It seems you had changed after our last meeting in Korea._

"Umi chan, you must have forgotten that guards obey orders to the last letter; and disobeying it only means death."

"B-but . . ." She stammered, but the taupe held her hands and said "All that you could do is pray for me, and hope that this war would be over as soon as we push them back through Suzhou creek."

Then with a piercing shriek of a whistle, her company of well disciplined infantry duly formed rank and file with weapons strapped onto their shoulders; while the captain struts towards them and gave the order to move out. Taking a final glimpse of her blue haired friend who was rather concerned about her plight; the brunette gave off a heartfelt smile and waved goodbye, while the boys in anchor also bid farewell to the guys who wore the wreathed star by their helms.

 _It's been a long time since we've met, but it only took a few minutes for us to settle down and talk about our lives._

Feeling down and tired, she carefully rolled the mat and carried it to her quarters; a small room which once served as a nursery for budding minds, as evidenced by the scattered alphabets and numbers cut out from cardboard. Unfurling it once more under the windows to bask on the moon's dying light; Umi lay down with a heavy heart, saddened by the thought of her friends risking their lives on the rubble of this godforsaken country.

 _This war is hopeless . . . like seriously, why should we risk our lives for this? Isn't Tokyo enough that we should be deployed on this wretched country just to die?_

She then rolled for a bit after hearing the door opening up with a creak; surprised to learn that it was Seishiro, carrying with him an aluminium bowl full of rice and a can of soup with a pair of chopsticks. Putting up some bravado as a last resort to hide her embarrassment; Umi rose up and suddenly snarled, "I'm already full."

Finding a place right beside his beloved fiancée, he dipped a pinch of the blessed grain into the broth and tried to serve it; but was instead met by a ticked off reception from his soon to be bride.

"H-haven't you heard me? I said I'm already full!"

Wearing a smile amidst the guilt ridden facade of his sweetheart, the captain just shrugged it off and reasoned out "It's unfair that the men had already eaten up their fill of bounty, while you deliberately leave yourself to be depraved of grace."

"It's the truth . . . I had already eaten my supper." Groaning as her lies still shone through her mask, she then covered herself with a blanket while her paramour took a chair and placed the food on it for the lass to consume later.

"I guess this is goodnight then. . ."

"Goodnight."

Then with a gentle slide of the door; Umi breathed a sigh of relief and took the chance to gorge upon the simple dish of chicken broth and rice, all the while feeling quite annoyed at the grunts who were yapping on top of their lungs while singing by the campfire.

Taking the food off the seat and crossing her legs; the bluenet took the chopsticks and whispered "Ittadakimasu," but grimaced as she felt her bandaged wrist twitching like mad.

 _Great . . . I regret forgiving Nico for this._

But then another thought came to her mind; one that was concerned about her lover whom she had just dissed because of her insecurities. Pursing her lips to find the right words to explain her deeds; Umi decided to man up and give him a visit to his quarters that was to be found on the building which connected the garden of glass to the compound.

 _He's so kind to me, but I repay him with a pile horse shit instead. . ._

Gathering her resolve and shrugging off the feeling of being lethargic; she left the room and backtracked her way through the rubble, passing by their men who seemed to be enjoying the moment by sharing some horror stories while playing with shadows by the fire's radiant warmth.

 _I must tell him how I really feel . . . Yes, I should._

Upon reaching the greenhouse, she looked at her wristwatch and was mortified to find out that it was already past midnight; but she must find her better half or risk losing his trust. Opening its gate with the remainder of her strength, she was surprised to see him watering the plants by using a can that had small holes bored at its base.

Clearing her throat to garner her attention, Seishiro paled when he saw her standing by its opening; carefully placing it on a table and chuckled sheepishly like a naive young boy.

"You sure are really attached to your flowers . . ." She sarcastically remarked, while Seishiro tried to reason out by saying "I was just . . . trying to relieve my stress by watering them."

Forgetting all her worries and elated to see such a soft hearted side of him firsthand, Umi then took the can and mused "Hey, can you teach me how to water them properly?"

"Sure ma'am." He then positioned behind the lieutenant while holding onto her arms; directing the bluenet at how it's done, scooping some water from the bucket with the latter giggling as it cascaded down like a burst of rain.

 _I am convinced that you're going to be a loving husband to me someday._

Her eyes gleamed as she saw the pillars of crystalline wonder putting up a faint band of colours which mimicked that of the rainbow; while the flowers basked under its cooling bliss, dripping off some droplets from its leathery blooms.

Facing her partner, Umi beamed "Thank you for the lessons Mr. Kanzaki" before giving off a lustful wink; hinting that she has something else in mind. Oblivious at the bluenet's means of seduction, Seishiro humbly replied "Nothing to it ma'am, just doing my duty."

Disappointed at the very dull response coming from her mate, the lieutenant then tried to tick him off; questioning his choice of joining the navy rather than stay and open a decor shop.

Crossing her arms, Umi heckled "I always had this assumption that you have a hidden talent over these things . . . but I think being a marine isn't a good choice after all, for your potential is going to be wasted if you stay here for long."

Pausing for a moment to reflect upon his sweetheart's words, the captain suddenly assured her that there was nothing wrong with his sexuality.

"Wait, y-you must be thinking that I'm queer; aren't you?"

Smiling as it was her cue to seduce him once more, Umi placed a finger upon his lip; coupled with a stare that was pretty consistent with a person who has a very weird case of fever. Her face emitted a rosy glow on her cheeks; while she carefully unbuttoned her blouse to let him see those scrumptious pair of breasts. Reversing the roles by pinning him by the table while running those slender fingers through his thorax; the man just blushed when she whispered to his ear:

"Do you get now why I'm here?"

Giving off a smirk as he now had an idea; Seishiro surprises the lass by turning the tables on her, causing the bluenet to moan as their pelvises collide.

"The question is, are you ready?"

Feeling the heat steaming as he closes the gap once more; Umi could do nothing more than wrap her arms around his shoulders, while locking her legs to his waist. With amber orbs glittering under the beams of the full moon; the lady gently whined "Yes, Yes I am."

With that said, their supple lips had met for the very first time; sending a flurry of bliss which lightened her burdensome body, while her heart beats even faster than the time she had first experienced the thrills of battle.

Giving off subtle moans as their tongues intertwined to an endless waltz; Umi just savoured the moment as much as she could, gyrating her slippery mink against the bulge that were both separated by layers of cotton cloth.

 _I've never thought of this before as enjoyable as it could be; for I was just forced to do it with my own flesh and blood._

Beads of sweat poured down as their bodies felt like it was melting at the passion shared by that fateful kiss; with Seishiro tediously removing her straps which kept his eyes from seeing those god given gifts, while Umi's hand crept towards the land down under, feeling that hardened piece of meat begging for her to let it loose.

Separating for a moment to breathe and plan her next course of action, the lieutenant fixed those hazel pairs against his own; all the while mending the gap between their brows which further intensified the brilliant hues of their vibrant eyes.

This may not be her first time to experience this blissful act of love, but she felt something really amiss during that night; as her sharp wit and reasoning succumbed from savouring the moment upon realizing that they had ample time to be with each other under the starlit skyline.

"Aishite imasu." (I love you.) Umi whispers at her lover's ear, before closing those lustrous pair of orbs as her mind melted from the sheer excitement mixed with a hint of pain; surrendering her will amidst the chaos unfolding on the outskirts of Shanghai, hopeful that they had given each other something to remember just in case they perish within the maze of cobbled streets.

 _I won't regret this for I had willingly gave it to the man who promised me of a brighter future._

* * *

"Soto de kumitate! Shōtai ni yoru fōmu! Sore o idō!" (Assemble outside! Form by platoons! Move it!) Umi was suddenly awakened by the sergeant's hoarse voice barking out; followed by inaudible curses from the grunts as they hollered for their peers to keep up the pace. Their rifles rattled as the soles of their boots crushed the rubble underneath, stirring up dust as they fell in line. Meanwhile, Umi was still panning her eyes to know where she was; and realized that her paramour's quarter was a library as the scene of scattered books and fallen shelves were slowly revealed by the sun's vermillion shades.

She then felt an unearthly chill when her nude body rubbed against the linen blanket which he had spared for her; and the dainty lass tried to rise up from the futon's hold, but were stopped when she felt her legs hurt after a night of surreal bliss. Weakened by such a strenuous act of passion, she decided to sit down and scans the area for her uniform and undergarments; then smiled after seeing her clothes and those shining pair of boots neatly folded at her feet.

 _He really does care for me._

Lieutenant Sonoda wasted no time at picking up her things; for any minute now, the Chinese might attack and her men would be decimated without her guidance. Pausing for a moment to see the rays of a new dawn peeking through the bay's still waters; the lass grimaced at the thought that they are going to be stuck on this city until the Nationalists are repelled through Suzhou creek.

 _God, grant my wish . . . that I and Seishiro will return safe and sound._

"Hurry up and dig!" Captain Kanzaki supervised the grunts as they toiled to clear the rubble for a makeshift trench; for scouts returned with dire news that the 36th and 80th NRA are massing up for a counterattack. It was now six thirty, and the marines of Shanghai and Yokosuka still haven't eaten their breakfasts yet; but they are willing to skip it all for this might be their last day alive. Piercing their shovels through the hardened dirt; these foolhardy men didn't give the slightest care about inhaling copious amounts of dust, and weren't even aware at the fact that they were already spilling streams of sweat down their brows. Ruins are hastily scavenged for left over wood, tires and heavy metals coming from the car factory; serving as barricades to lure the invaders to a chokehold for their light machineguns to eliminate piecemeal. The dug up sand were stuffed into burlap sacks; then stacked high enough for their head to be seen, while the reinforcing armoured cars were placed right behind the trenches to further hamper their advance.

Meanwhile, Nico and the rest of the veteran crew were busy preparing Molotov cocktails by using their deceased comrade's socks as wicks which they duly soaked on kerosene; while their last reserves of whiskey were also used, much to their utter dismay.

It was a very wide factory complex, but Seishiro knew that the Chinese would more likely pierce through the north and western part of it; as the east and south were already facing the sea where Izumo and the other carriers are on standby, waiting for a signal to strike. To further add up to the confusion which might befall their ranks, there were only three commissioned officers for the squads to coordinate with; and the rest are NCO's from the Kwantung, seasoned warriors that are sadly prone to insubordination.

Corporals were duly assigned to squads of ten, all armed with arisakas and bale charges made from taping four type 97 grenades together; while the captured PaK 36 was positioned to the northern side of the complex, but once the presence of heavy armour were to be discovered on the west, it'll be one hell of a haul for its crew of three. Sensing that the necessary preparations were almost done, he then ordered for the telephone poles to be cut down for good measure and recycle it as an additional form of barrier.

Picking a revolver and putting a leg on the stack of sandbags, the overall commander of the ragtag group of SNLF gave a stern warning for everyone concerning the notorious 36th NRA; a division of Hui Muslims who are as fanatical as their own Imperial Guards.

"There will be no quarters given to us once we lay down our arms, and never underestimate their skills as our enemies are already seasoned warriors from the northern frontiers! Do not hesitate to kill each one of them, and once you see their olive green uniforms . . . pour all hell upon them!"

With that said, he descends into the trench together with his blue clad men who are already trembling in fear; nervously anticipating the silhouettes that might surface on the thick bay side mist. Reaching for the crucifix from his coat's pocket; he closed his eyes and muttered:

"May you have mercy upon us this day, so we could come home and see our families once more. . . I also pray for my fiancée that there will be no harm that would come her way."

Almost ready to resume her duties as the last pair of knee socks was rolled onto her legs; Umi then stood from the futon's grasp by supporting her weight against the window, still having some regrets about last night's act of fornication. Huffing as her legs refused to obey her will; she took her sword and used it as a makeshift crotch, up until she could reach a stack of surplus rifles that belonged to her fallen comrades.

 _I should've waited till this battle is over . . ._

Inching her way through heaps of grunge ridden paper and faded documents; the bluenet stopped when she heard some faint footsteps coming from below. Quickening her pace through the flight of stairs while squirming from fatigue, she reached the first floor just in time to see no one there; but the tapping still continued on, and Umi was spooked by it.

 _I think it's pretty early for ghosts to haunt this place . . ._

Seeing a small hole on the tiled floor, the lieutenant kneeled in and took a peek; and was shocked after discovering a horde of Nationalists running through the storm drain, all dressed in sage and black German style helmets. They were armed with Mauser rifles and broadswords; while their officers were at the side, directing them while holding onto a C96 pistol. It was her first time seeing the enemy up close and personal, wincing as she smelled their nauseous alcohol laced breath as they made their way through the sewage; all of them with eyes glaring in determination to eliminate every soldier coming from the empire of the rising sun.

Scared and at the same time concerned about her troops; Umi struggled once more to utilize her strength, rushing out to the open door while yelling "They're underneath us!" catching the attention of a group of men who were carrying four crates of ammunition that was suspended by a bamboo pole.

Calling a grunt to serve as the messenger, she asked him to relay the message to Captain Kanzaki; by which the guy nodded in compliance and hurriedly dashed through the compound without even looking back. Diverting her attention to those who remained, Umi asked if they have a rifle to spare; and lucky for her, one of the privates carried two on his back.

"Thanks." She mumbled then opened the bolt and was handed with a five round clip and a belt with three pouches which held four clips each. Strapping it onto her waist; the bluenet stuffed a clip onto its feed, then pushed the five bullets before completing the loading process with a quick snap of its bolt, sending the useless brass strip flying with a click.

 _I'm ready now . . ._

Unable to progress as the pain on her thighs intensified; Umi ordered them to give her some spare rounds, then promptly dismissed them as she crawled towards a low wall and waited for the enemy to surface. Staring into the skeletal ruins of the car factory; she tightened the bandage on her wrist and bit her lip as she positioned her legs for a crouch.

 _There's no one else I could count on except myself._

Placing the sword and pistol by her side, she took in a gutful of air to calm her wits; then perched the Arisaka with eyes set upon its iron sights.

 _We only used the rifles for drill practice, but I never had shot one myself. . ._

Everything was peaceful once more as the mist slowly dissipated into the hostile air; while the lass could clearly hear her heartbeat, thumping in sync with her wristwatch's sullen tune. Her bandaged hand didn't bring her much comfort at all, but she must suck it up for the weapon required her to cock it with the right extremity.

Moments passed by with the sound of silence humming by, then with a very bad stroke of luck; her adversaries finally showed up from within the factory's hoary walls, creeping their way through the pile of bricks and mortar with weapons on the ready.

Composing herself as the dreary green figures drifted to her sights; the lieutenant closed her eyes for a bit and said "Papa, If I die today . . . I'd like to go as swift as you did, for I don't want to suffer a world of pain."

Focusing those sharp honey glazed orbs, she lined it up towards an officer who was distinguished by the yellow lanyard which hung under his epaulet; unknowingly leading his men while giving out directions for them to disperse on.

"I'm sorry mate . . . but it's time to say goodbye." Pulling the trigger with meagre force left on her index; Umi could only brace herself as the firing pin hits the cartridges' primer, causing it to click with its recoil bouncing off her shoulder, while the round whizzed through the cold air and found its mark_ hitting the man on the socket of his eye.

Now that her presence was known and the grunts firing on all directions; the bluenet pulled the bolt with her left hand and watched as the smoking brass tumbled off as it fell to the ground.

 _One down, more to go._ She thought as her reflection shone through the spent round; and aimed towards a corporal who was sticking his head to see where it's from. Meanwhile, the courier had successfully reached the frontlines, but Seishiro was already aware of the shots which came from the rear; and leaving only a band of men to defend the western wall, he rushed towards the south hoping that his lover was alright.

"Come on . . . Just a little more." The targets were the size of a pinkie's tip, while the target's head was only a match head compared to that; hoping to whittle their numerical superiority, the lieutenant decided to take the shot, successfully killing the soldier with another headshot.

Seeing the muzzle flash and frustrated at the marksman who killed off their officer and aide; the remainders poured all their rounds towards the low wall where the bluenet hid, causing her to withdraw the rifle and go prone.

"Do not let the sniper off the hook! Kill him!" a senior NCO commands while his privates sent a volley of shots down range; chipping away the barrier which separated the lass from certain death. Covering her ears with those cold pair of hands, the girl fervently prayed for the gods to deliver once more from the pain of leaving her lover behind; crying out streams filled with hopes that their child may be born in this world.

To make it worse, the compound was already surrounded as a mass charge was orchestrated on all two fronts; in hopes of exhausting their supplies of valuable ammunition. The tankette Type 94 Te-Ke's viciously expended its 7.7 machinegun towards the wall of Nationalist troops; and the men of the Shanghai NLF froze in terror when they saw a crimson mist forming in earnest as the rounds impacted its victim's body, causing them to shrivel and die long before they hit the ground.

But they were still undeterred by such a wall of lead, beaming out loud bursts of battle cries as they still continued their dastardly charge with bayonets bare; exploiting the gap which formed after a platoon left to cover their rear. The machinegun's barrels were already fuming and in danger of breaking down as the operators of the Te-Ke's desperately tried to fend these foolhardy men of the white sun; while the Type 96's were also overheating to an extent that their barrels turned to a faint shade of orange, as its crew replaced magazine after magazine as they were slowly eaten up by the fear which crippled their fair judgement. Riflemen weren't exempted from such acts of desperation, frantically yanking their bolts to feed a round but were instead given an unlucky fate of the cartridge jamming upon its chamber.

With the wall of men threatening to overrun their haphazard defensive lines, the boys resorted to fixing their bayonets and braced themselves for a melee showdown; while those whose guns could still be fired continued to slug some rounds down range and eliminating a fair amount as well.

Reaching the lip of the trench, an intrepid NRA trooper jumped towards a wall of knives being held up as a sort of deterrence; but his resolve was something that could be admired on, for as he was impaled by the Arisaka's bayonet, he yelled out "Wansui, Guomindang!" (Long live the Kuomintang!) to give a clear path for his mates to run in and engage the Shanghai marines in bitter combat, while the rest hopped up above them in hopes of encircling the remaining Japanese who were also facing the same dilemma to the north.

The clutter of knives and rifles filled the cold morning air; while the screams of the bold and dying were being sung like a twisted tune, as the smell of ruptured stomachs and guts overwhelmed those with the faint of heart.

Shots were fired in close range, breaking men's faces in half; splattering out their brains which resembled nothing more than bits of chicken liver. Those who had their weapons thrown off or broken resorted to picking the shovels and mallets off their comrade's packs; smashing it on their adversaries with such force that it literally broke their jaws off its socket.

The marines held their ground amidst the waves of grey clad conscripts which whittled their numbers at each consecutive charge; while the miniature tanks kept firing their machineguns at the mixed heap of blue and grey, throwing the concept of camaraderie in the hopes of staying alive. It was utter chaos, and the life of a common soldier back then was way harsher than that today; as they lived only on reduced and sometimes spoiled rations, beaten to a pulp by their officers to maintain in-line discipline, and the rigours of frequent hand to hand combat, where they could be forever scarred after seeing the last expression of their adversary's faces right before they snuff its existence.

Meanwhile on the southern side of the factory complex, Umi was determined to take a stand, crawling for a bit and peeking out with rifle on the ready; aiming it towards the advancing squad of troops which fired on as they went in hopes of pinning her down. But the bluenet wasn't in the mood for cowering anymore, for she had already realized that in order to gain the trust of her men; she must prove her worth as their officer.

Searching for a suitable target, she was rewarded with one; a grenade handle sticking out of a grunt's pouch. Following it towards the burlap bag where its head is supposedly to be found; the bluenet fired and in the blink of an eye, the row of soldiers who were trying to eliminate her were killed with a single blast, while the one who has it had only his waist remaining.

Grim perhaps, but she must do everything to survive; ducking back into cover while expunging the spent shell out of its port, the lass were getting a hang of using the Arisaka type 38.

"This one's a league away than my piddle nambu . . ."

Molten lead still hissed by her head as she tried to haggle a single bit of cover at all; while a section of wall collapsed from the relentless barrage of Mauser 7.92's, presenting the lieutenant a limited course of action.

"Damn it, If only my legs could help me out." Cursing at how unfortunate the skirmish' timing was; she just tried to find a chance to retaliate, something that was deliberately denied when the Chinese was able to field a type 27 heavy machinegun to do most of the suppression work as the riflemen would attempt to outflank her once more. Hearing the distinctive "ripping sound" as it went off, the lass tried to test her legs if it had now the strength to run; but alas, she was greeted instead by a pang of agony which sent her crying out and rolling on the dirt.

"Huǒ! Bùyào ràng shèshǒu huíyīng!" (Keep firing! Do not let the shooter respond!) The minor official barked out while two squads decided to split up and approach on a pincer movement; covered by their comrades who did their job of keeping Lieutenant Sonoda in place.

Whimpering as it felt like the veins on her leg were being crushed, Umi reached for the rifle and inspected its chamber; panting on as the bullets kicked the dust to a lingering cloud of smoke.

 _Only two rounds left, I guess I should keep another clip handy._

Reaching for an extra five shot from its pouch; she placed it right beside her and waited for those who approached on the left flank, licking her lips as she saw their helmets peering above the a section of wall.

 _If I should die, then I'll bring some of them with me._

Pointing it towards the lead trooper as his silhouette peeked through the partition's end; she quickly lets loose of a round in time for him to lay eyes on her, ending his life with shot through the heart. Seeing their comrade falling to a marksman's bullet; the jittery soldiers suddenly unleashed a hail of stick grenades coming her way, and Umi was forced to evacuate as the steaming M21's were tumbling in mid air like a swarm of tomahawks.

Taking the rifle and biting the heirloom's lacquered sheath; she crawled as fast as she could to escape certain death, taking refuge underneath a car's burnt shell. Her amber orbs helplessly looked on as one by one, the bombs exploded like a gust of wind; followed by a violent bang which peppered the car with deadly bits of shrapnel like stones pelting a sheet of iron. It was hell, coupled with the fact that she was alone and fatigued from the night of rump; and all she could do was to fire one last round as the troopers thought that she had perished from the blast, rushing out without having any bit of a second thought.

With a last piece of sheer resolve, she quickly dispatched them with a shot through the neck; putting the total tally of six for the femme fatale who would one day become the most respected soldier of the 8th Yokosuka. But there was one thing she forgot, and that was the squad which crept through her right side; now fast approaching right behind, giving out a fair warning with rifles on the ready to finish her off.

"Don't do something fishy or we will shoot!" A sergeant hollered out, and Umi felt her time has come; swallowing her fears and crawled out with arms raised in utter submission. Giving off a maniacal burst of laughter, the NRA trooper vents all his frustration towards the bluenet by giving her a grim reception of a rifle strike to the abdomen.

"Iyaaa!" She writhed as the laminated butt stock crushed her innards; while the grunts followed their superior's example with a mocking barrage of guffaws and casual beatings towards the helpless marine. But upon seeing her collar tab; the squad then realized that she was a very valuable target, and decided to drag the half conscious lieutenant towards the car factory where she was dumped in front of an entire platoon of German trained footmen, all eager to teach the Japanese a lesson for invading their land.

Panning her eyes through the rows of piercing glares which peeked below their helms, Umi tried to stand up in defiance; but was immediately pushed back down and was hit once more by a rifle to her shoulder. It felt like her left arm was dislocated; but the bluenet didn't even wince after that strike; looking at her tormenters with eyes whose hazel orbs shone even brighter as the faint rays of the sun struck its lacquered surface.

Seeing at how the Imperial marine stared at them, the lieutenant of the KMT raised his arm for a slap; but Umi was still unfazed as she had already composed herself to suffer it all for the sake of the empire she served. Unable to continue as he was spooked by the way those eyes glared at him like a hawk; the officer just snapped his finger, causing everyone else to come at her with hell bent fury.

"Gweilo!" (Demon) One called out as he mercilessly kicked her thighs, sending the lieutenant to a world of boundless pain; while others restrained her as one of their peers gave some heavy blows towards her abdomen, weathering away her rebellious resolve at each hard pressed strike.

Closing her eyes to keep those sultry tears from falling, she endured the excruciating ordeal by strengthening her extremities; but it was no use, as their callous fists and steel toed boots simply crushed her soft tissues. And when the time came that she have had enough, her body surrendered and she was released to fall on her knees; all the while begging for them to end her life with a single strike of their sword.

"Ima watashi o korosu shite kudasai!" (Please, kill me now!) But upon scanning through their collars; Umi had suddenly come to a realization that she's not going to die in peace, as it yielded a revelation that these were the terror of the northern front: the 36th NRA Division or simply 36D on their collar tabs. Many of her kin were tortured and killed in cold blood by these dastardly marauders; slaying them in a ruthless fashion by lining them up on a ditch and cutting their heads off with a single strike from the Chinese broadsword or _dadao_. And the only units which could match its ferocity were the fanatical imperial guards, considered as the ablest of units within the rank and file of the IJA.

But sadly, her hopes of a fair fight was harried as Kotori marched towards the north; because the mere presence of this top line men were sufficient enough to give inspiration for others to keep fighting to the death.

Mustering her courage once more to face her tormenters, Umi slowly stood up and spat onto the sergeant's face; gaining a quick jab to her nose which sent her crashing to the cold floor. Picking the bayonet off its lug; the man then pulled her hair and was about to slit her throat when the lieutenant came back with their commander dressed in a lighter shade of gray, eager to speak with the marksman whose face was sore and eyes on the verge of tears. Examining her closely with hands tucked behind his overcoat; he couldn't believe that the one who killed his most trusted aide was a girl, snickering as he felt the long strands of his moustache which surpassed the chin's length.

"It's a shame that Major Liu was finished off by this imperial whore. . ." He then ordered his men to scour the area for any remnants of the Japanese; dispersing through the ruins like a viral plague as they carried out his will without any hesitation or doubt. Taking a sniff of her shoulder length hair, the colonel gave off a malicious grin on his face then forcibly torn her brilliant green uniform; exposing only her cotton tees which revealed a plump pair of breasts underneath it's flaxen hold.

Feeling that such a nice lady will be wasted if she was to be dispatched immediately; the fat colonel pinched her chin and mused "Maybe I should play with you first before I kill you with your own blade."

He then held out his hand for a grunt to give him Umi's prized heirloom; its hilt gleaming in pure gold as the rays struck its surface, and was amazed as he saw its well kept tang reflecting his face. Impressed at such fine workmanship for an officer's sword; he then tried to see how sharp it was, pressing it against the bluenet's throat which made her squirm.

"Not so tough, aren't you." Then with a gentle slit; Umi felt a quaint amount of blood spilling onto her chest, while the man licked it off its blade with a satisfied moan set upon his leathery face. Thinking that it was already time to do whatever he pleased to the lass dressed in brilliant green; the colonel handed it to the lieutenant so he could place it on his personal collection of war booty.

Returning his gaze towards the girl who was restrained by two of his elite guards; he maliciously felt her mink, and said "Now . . ." but was interrupted when a familiar voice heckled "Now, what?" followed by the rattling of rifles and its bolt.

 _Seishiro?_ Turning to satisfy her gut feeling; Umi was relieved to see Captain Kanzaki together with the veteran crew and the rest of the plebes, aiming their Arisakas towards the fat colonel who was really surprised to find that the tables had turned in favour of the Empire of the Rising Sun.

"Sorry I'm late dear." He then gave off a wink towards the gal who scowled "I am not pleased at your tardiness, soldier."

With the ungrateful responses kept at bay for later, Seishiro asked two of his men to disarm everyone who remained; while Umi dashed back to his side, with the commander of the raiders clearly terrified as his life lay on the hands of these rowdy Imperial troops.

Muttering a threat in hopes of weakening their will, the colonel smirked while the marines frisked him for additional weapons.

"You may wipe us off this earth today, but you can never break my nation's spirit!"

"I don't have to, for this lady will decide your fate." Giving a lopsided grin to his fiancée; he duly stepped aside and Umi struts like a dignified lass once more, carrying with her a pistol and faced him squarely on his shuddering pair of brown orbs.

Aiming a revolver to his forehead, the bluenet spoke with a voice as decisive and stern:

"How does it feel to be at the other end of the gun? You were so cocky a while back, but now you're nothing more than a coward." Upon ending the sentence, she pulled the hammer which responded with a click as a fresh round was placed directly at its path; while his staff members trembled as they felt they were next after their leader. Then with a gentle pull of the trigger, the colonel closed his eyes as he anticipated his demise; but was suddenly cancelled when Umi held onto its tail, right before it struck the primer that could've ended his life. Opening his eyes and relieved for a new chance of life; the Chinese official stuttered "B-but w-w-why?"

Handing the weapon back to her lover; Umi just crossed her hands and explained "I find it distasteful to stoop down your level." With that said, she gave her men the order to stand down and capture them as suitable bargaining chips; something which attracted the ire of the feisty nitosuihei who expressed her frustration by vexing "This is bullshit!" before walking away to inspect the remains for monetary loot. Meanwhile the rest of the men were relieved that the fight was over; wiping the smudge off their faces with their sleeves, hugging each other and thankful that they had survived the fateful skirmish.

Lifting their weapons high in the air; they all screamed "Tenno heika, Banzai!" with the exception of Umi and her pair who were staring at each other with cheeks flushed to a certain degree. Impressed by the show of chivalry, Sergeant Sato stepped out of line and commended her for the act; scratching the back of his head in shame for dissing her off at the coast. Unable to face the lass who took the high road rather than to avenge her pride, Junichiro remarked "I guess I was wrong at considering you a coward; for it sure does take a lot of guts to forgive an adversary who had done you wrong."

Patting her mentor's back; Umi just shrugged it off and beamed "It's nothing really, I just thought that in times like these; there has to be someone who has to sacrifice their pride to end the cycle of hate."

 _A concept which I learned from my dear friend Honoka, the one who taught that forgiveness and reconciliation is the most powerful weapon in any conflict._

With that settled, Sato smiled at her amicable response; before joining the crowd who celebrated their small victory against the Kuomintang, exchanging bursts of laughter with a glint of tears on their eyes.

Then Umi turned to Seishiro and gave him a very warm embrace, thankful that he saved her from being violated by the colonel; but then paused when she felt something warm on his chest. Looking at his face which was getting a little bit gray; the lass stared at his breast and saw that it was bleeding, blotting his uniform like a fountain pen pressed onto a piece of paper.

Her pupils shrunk after seeing Seishiro's wound that were small and consistent with a pistol round; it was supposed to be survivable, but it had clearly gone through his heart. Separating from their bond; she held onto his shoulder and was surprised that the captain still wore a smug grin on his face, congratulating her for being such a strong woman.

"H-hey . . . I am happy to learn that you had become stronger, Umi . . ." He then collapsed onto her shoulder; causing the bluenet to yell for a medic, soliciting the attention of the men who scrambled towards the field hospital to search for medical supplies and a surgeon. While Sergeant Sato and the rest of the veteran crew remained with some of the plebes; putting all the helmets on their chest, looking down at the couple with pity and a glint of tears. As he laid dying on his lover's arms; Seishiro giggled when he saw Umi's face distorting as she cried streams down her rosy red cheeks, dropping some onto his skin which paled as his heart slowly gave in to the grievous wound.

"Umi . . ."

Placing his cold hand to feel that radiant face which he admired so much; he said "Please don't cry for me, because my death will never be in vain . . ."

A mixture of anger and regret formed in the recesses of Umi's heart as soon as he spoke; embittered by the ugly twist of fate which the gods had bestowed upon her, as the man whom she met during the arduous years within the hallowed halls of Otonoki was now fighting for his life, gasping as he withered with each passing second. Sensing that his life can never be saved by even the most skilful of doctors; Captain Kanzaki removed his gloves and the ring which served as a seal of their love, placing it gently onto her lover's palm together with the lotus pin that she gave to him the day he left for Shanghai.

"Please, don't leave me . . ." She begged, leaning towards his chest; but he was already frail and pale like a ghost, and at any moment he might pass away like the gust of wind. Closing those slender fingers to the mementos he gave her; Seishiro then puts a hand under her chin and whispered.

"Look at me . . ."

Heeding her lover's solemn request; Umi stared at her lover's eyes for one last time as he gave his final words while breathing heavily on top of his lungs.

"I'm sorry that I broke my promise, but I guess this is the end for me . . . So please, stop crying . . . for it doesn't suit your character at all. . . You are strong, and I know you aren't the type who backs down that easily. . ."

Wiping off a tear from the girl's amber orbs; he then muttered her name with the same sweetness on that lonely chapel by the lake.

"My dear Sonoda . . . I love you, but farewell for now."

Diverting his gaze towards the stagnant sky; He was relieved to see the heavens opening up for his soul to pass, breathing in his last breath then died as the first drop of rain landed on his forehead.

Seeing that her pair had lost his warmth; Umi kept on crying "Hanasanaide!" (Please don't leave me) while the men of the 8th Yokosuka and Shanghai NLF knelt down and bowed with respect to their fallen officer, together with Nico who tried to hide her sorrow by burying her face deep on the dirt.

And with a voice filled with a lingering sentiment of pain; they all said in chorus "Domo arigatou, Kanzaki Shosa!" (Thank you very much, Captain Kanzaki)

He was just one of the victims to fall because of the sound of war, leaving his devastated lover to become a vengeful soul who swore that every enemy she could catch would really end up dead; starting with her captives who were executed in the night after that fateful clash.

Staring at the funeral pyre filled with their comrade's remains, Umi bit her lip as her fiancé's bones were consumed by the undying flames of transformation; turning it into embers which dissipated onto the starlit sky.

 _Seishiro . . ._

Pausing for a moment to remember the day when they pledged their eternal vow; she closed her eyes and recited the solemn promise once more.

"I promise to be loyal to you no matter what, and pray each and every day for your safe trip home so we could meet again at this very spot. . ."

She couldn't help but cry as it was too much for her to bear; while the men of the 8th Yokosuka and Shanghai SNLF's tried to comfort her weary and devastated soul.

"Stay strong ma'am . . . the captain won't be happy to see you crying like that." A blue clad marine spoke out, but he himself gave into the temptation to shed some tears; as Seishiro was a very kind man who had always treated them with respect.

Then the entire company sniffled and lamented at their passing; while Umi gazed into the heavens where the stars never failed to blink down on them, reflecting upon her lover's words on that fateful night where a miracle was conceived.

The same patch of starry skies where he had always laid his eyes upon.

"It may seem like everything is lost down here, but the stars still shine above the darkest of clouds they say."

Drawing a sarcastic smirk upon her face, Umi cussed "Goddamnit Seishiro . . ." while wiping her tears off with her sleeve, remembering the twisted proverb which irked her tell tale heart.

Clenching keibetsu's sharkskin hilt; she lifted it up as an order for the grunts to aim towards the sky, their rifles cluttering as they painfully did their officer's ceremonial whim. All of them had tears on their eyes; as most of them had lost a friend or two, including the nefarious _Nittosuihei_ Nico Yazawa who lost a dear comrade who tried to cover their advance through the complex just to save the bluenet's life.

 _There will never be a second time, and I will always belong to you no matter what._

And with a sudden swipe filled with spite and bitter resolve; the lass who will someday become the most respected swordsman of the empire shed her veil of mercy, with her sun kissed orbs reflecting the kindling flames of hate which billowed from within her heart of stone, giving out the order to commence the final salute to brave men who all died for the empire's will.

A heavy burst of rainfall poured after the sword fell that fateful night; while their rifles fired in volleys to give a final salute to the men who risked their lives for the ones they hold dear, a painful yet endearing memory that is still locked within the Colonel's heart.

 _Seishiro, you taught me how to love; but now that you're gone, a part of me has died with it._

* * *

Putting up a jowl after she stepped upon Kishin Maru's rusty hull, the colonel was determined not to waste a moment and quickly paced through the rows of Imperial grunts who were shocked to see the iron lady in their midst. Scrambling to hide themselves from her piercing glare, the soldiers looked on and saw her entering the officer's quarters without even taking a moment to look around.

"That Nico will surely be damned once I see her hanging out with Honoka . . ."

Stopping at the large mahogany door which stood at the end of the hallway; she took the pleasure to eavesdrop whether the general is inside, then frowned when her ear was deafened by two of the most annoying voices she had ever known in her life.

 _Now I'm going to be a babysitter for the two of them . . ._

Confident that the wayward trooper and the sunny ginger were in the same place, Colonel Sonoda smiled for a bit and whispered:

"I may have lost you, but I had gained new friends in return; so please rest well my dear, for I'll follow you later on."

Feeling rather light from the thought of Mr. Kanzaki, Umi opened the door with a film of tears covering her amber orbs.

* * *

Last Note:

I was listening to the theme song of "Letters of Iwo Jima" while I was writing this chapter . . . It kind of made me sad, but I guess partings have to happen.

This has to be the longest one yet, 25,000 + words . . . made over a week of leave.

Miscellany . . .

Tankettes as the name suggests are small tanks with the height of only six feet; crewed by two, and were armed with machineguns. The prolific users of this infantry support weapon were nothing more than the Japanese, because its size came really handy due to the lush jungles of the Pacific.

Oddly enough, Wikipedia had yielded some valuable information about their prefixes; for example, the type 97 "Chi"-Ha medium tank or the type 94 "Ha"-Go light tank . . .

So here it is to be clear:

Te- Tankette (Type 94 Te-Ke)

Ho- Self propelled guns and Tank Destroyers (ie: Type 01 Ho-Ni)

Ha- Light tanks

Ka- Amphibious Tanks (ie: Type 2 Ka-Mi)

Chi- Medium Tanks (Still a light tank compared to an M4 Sherman.)

There's more of it . . . But my mind is sort of rusty at the moment (TwT)

While as for the Types . . . It sort of corresponds at the year of Emperor Meiji's reign. (The man who well . . . Finally brought peace to the land of the rising sun I guess. And was used mostly to designate their weapons)

Type 38= 1905

Type 97 = 1937

Type 01 = 1942 (Because of Showa's reign I guess. ) Correct me if I'm wrong here.

Yet again, I'm sorry for giving off some nerdy topics . . . I just can't help myself! :')


	9. Lost Children

Author's Note: Hi! It's been a while since I updated. Ugh, election was a total hassle really. . . All those sharp words, memes, smear campaigns, allegations . . . It was nasty!

Politics aside, please do correct me if you could find errors on my grammars and the choice of words . . . For I am just new at writing, to be honest.

:)

* * *

 _The twentieth century was an era of unprecedented advancement in the field of science and technology; Many of the things we enjoy today were discovered by mavericks that never budged amidst countless trials and a myriad of errors, all in the hopes of self gratification and benefit of all._

 _But even a field as noble as this had its share of dark secrets; as knowledge proved to be an effective tool of war once it was used with grim motives in mind. The times were harsh, as small scale conflicts under the mask of a just cause were prevalent during those days of old; while nations embarked on a secret arms race under the cover of truce after the treaty of Versailles was signed at the conclusion of the Great War._

 _The Nipponese Empire was no exception, as they were faced with larger neighbours who could instantly wipe them off when the need arises. For years they were constantly improving their armaments; and being a nation which relied heavily upon industry, it's no surprise that their army had improved drastically ever since the First World War._

 _But amidst their advancement in the field of slaughter; it was still deemed insufficient by high command, as their numbers were still outmatched by the Chinese and Soviets who were allies at the time._

 _Then as if by a stroke of luck, a breakthrough arrived when a young lass who tried to save her father's life carried a document left by a Soviet defector encased on a red portfolio; bearing the words synonymous with alternate personas and the thought of rebirth: Matryoshka._

 _Years had passed ever since that fateful experiment; and the scientist responsible is now an immigrant living on the Philippine isles, on the run from the very creation which propelled her to a tragic stint of fame and glory. The lass once thought it could hasten the end of wars, but she had never been wrong as the girl whom she entrusted the gift of a second life turned out to be a demon craving for her blood._

 _It was like she had opened Pandora's Box by mistake, unleashing an irreversible cycle of torment and hate upon the world at large._

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Lost Children**

 _Eli . . ._ A young soul sniffled as she treads upon a cobbled road, concerned at the fate her beloved officer may had concurred. Panning her eyes through bright alleyways that may lead to someplace else, Maki couldn't help but feel scared that she might've lost a friend on that devastating raid.

"You idiot . . ."

Ignoring a large crowd gathered at the sidewalks, the Chinese orphan trudged amidst the chaos unfolding all around her; as firetrucks rang in fervent beats, followed by a truck full of constables dressed in the deepest blue. Shops were closed and owners hurriedly rushed to the nearest tram; while those who remained had nothing left to do than pray and hope that a miracle should happen at a moment's notice. Babies cried by their mother's shoulders, while grown men whimpered like pups as they tried to contemplate a gruesome fate that was about to befall their land.

Everyone else knew that it was just the start of an invasion yet to come, but for Sergeant Nishikino; it was a god given opportunity she must take for the sake of avenging her wounded pride.

People were exchanging rumours that the Japanese had been spotted off the easternmost province of Aurora, while there are those who speak of a landing happening at the southernmost islands of Tawi-Tawi and Jolo. But whether the stories are real or just plain rumours, she could only think of one thing alone: hunting down the officer and grunt responsible for her mother's untimely demise.

 _I will not let this chance go to waste . . . Ma, if you and Dad are watching over me right now . . . Please, guide me as I take up arms against those who had done us wrong._

Following the monorail where a tram had just passed by, Maki finally reached the red light portion of Binondo; home of numerous brothels, crack dens and hoes who smoked cannabis right at the constable's line of sight.

 _Nothing had changed since I left for training . . ._

Cutting a corner, she suddenly felt an urge to reunite with her former peers; and with a few more metres to go, she couldn't help but feel hungry after spending the early hours wandering through the streets in search of her superior and dear friend.

 _I can't afford to lose another one . . . not this time._

Putting a hand over the cap as a gust of wind blew past, the flower of Shanghai gazed at Manila's torn skyline; darkened by smoke and flashing embers which billowed forth in thick grey pillars. Strengthening her resolve as she had already decided to stand up and fight; Maki clenched her fist and declared:

"You had already invaded my land. And now, you're on your way to ravage my second home . . . I was weak back then, but today . . . I promise, I will never let that happen again as long as I breathe."

With that said, she paused for a bit as a river of emotions overwhelmed her senses; wiping those sullen tears which covered her pair of lilacs with its amorphous film, before continuing her way to meet up with an old comrade of hers.

* * *

"Remember Pana, trust is like a pane of glass; easier to break than to mend." A man said to his child whose lustrous violets shone underneath a layer of glass. Stroking those vibrant copper strands; he then gives a gentle peck on her forehead, hoping that she will obey his words by heart. Standing by the reed strewn banks of the meandering Han, the two were awaiting the arrival of a brand new day on a land known as the place where mornings come in silent strides; greeted by a field of magnolias flourishing in vivid pink together with the vivacious and heart warming songs of the red breasted nightingales.

Korea, a nation torn by rebellion and a victim of Yamato's Imperialistic ambition.

"I . . . I understand." She whined, latching those beautiful orbs onto her father's own. Then with a slight gust of wind, his attitude changed from that of a doting father to a man fearful of the curse wrought upon them by the Japanese; who held their land in ransom since the dawn of the twentieth century.

"My child, I brought you here because there's something important I need to tell you." He paused for a moment as a dragonfly hovered by its murky waters; flapping its membranous wings with vigour to keep itself adrift and safe from the churning rapids. But with a stroke of bad luck, a wave struck a nearby rock; dousing the poor creatures wings which caused it to tumble and drown within its turquoise depths. Grimacing as the scene unfolded in earnest, Mr. Koizumi held onto his child's shoulders and said:

"I forbid you on befriending Hoshizora and Todou . . ."

For a moment, Hanayo couldn't keep her eyes focused onto her father's own; as the children had already grown accustomed with each other, sharing bursts of innocent laughter and school ground miseries like they were sisters in flesh and blood.

"B-but Papa . . ." She stammered like a little lamb, by which he pressed firmly onto her shoulders to assert his point.

"Listen to me. . . Their kind could not be trusted. Mr. Todou is a high ranking officer of the Kempeitai . . . while Hoshizora is responsible for executing fifteen men last night." He then paused to catch his breath as emotions bellowed deep within his chest.

"But . . . they're unlike them, Papa. . ." She reasoned out, by which her father interjected with a frail and weakened tone.

"I don't want to lose you Pana . . . We are Koreans, the true masters of this land, while they are just Imperial scum who shamelessly ruled over us for three decades. If you treat them like they were one of us . . . would they view you the way you had considered them to be? Look at the pictures of the men who were condemned to die by the blade . . . They were our kinsmen, flesh and blood."

Hearing this, Hanayo whimpered like a helpless pup; unable to defend her interests any longer as guilt loomed within her budding soul. Nodding in agreement to her father's wishes, she proceeded to give him a tight embrace; all the while wondering if there was someone else half the world away looking at the same marvellous sight which piqued her budding mind.

It was 1931, a time when Korea is on the verge of civil unrest as the ideals of nationalism and communism spread from the borders of Manchuria like a plague. Embittered by the harsh policies which included excessive taxing and the introduction of Japanese farmers which forcibly took their lands; the locals started to revolt, forcing the governor to unleash the Kempeitai who was then led by a ruthless General known only as _kamisori taisho_.

With the help of local auxiliaries called _heiho_ or inferior soldiers, the citizens lived in terror as the enforcers randomly picked up those whom they suspect of colluding with the rebels; only to be found on the early hours floating on the water's edge, tortured to death with faces wrapped in cloth and bodies full of cuts.

It was once the world of a lass who would one day trade her principles for the sake of those she loved; using her knowledge and donning the aura of a heartless scientist bent to play the hands of God.

 _I believe that the sun always shared it's warmth with everyone else who lives under the same sky, even if you're the most loathsome person the world has ever known._

The wailing cries of sirens and frantic bells echoed through Binondo's looming apartments; waking the mad scientist from her dreamy trance. Feeling quite lethargic and tired from the night of anticipating another raid coming from Formosa; the lady peeked through the window, witnessing the plight of some Filipinos who left their stead out of fear that the Japanese might target their homes.

"And so it has begun . . ." She cooed while opening a box filled with dried shredded leaves which she poured onto a piece of paper; tediously rolling it up for her own consumption. She was a far cry from the dignified lady she once was eight years ago; relying heavily upon the moment's reprieve offered by a hefty dose of marijuana that she always received as a gift from corrupt officials, in exchange of the protection offered by her organization of spies. Once hailed as Yamato's premier protégé, her life is a story of how trust blinded people into doing unspeakable things towards their fellow men; embarking on a project aimed to revive the theory postulated by their Soviet counterparts.

The concept of Matryoshka, named after a multi layered doll which signified death and rebirth.

 _There's one thing I had learned from those eight years in hiding . . . That knowledge is the most dangerous thing ever possessed by man once you use it with the wrong intention._

Slightly puffing up her cheeks to accommodate it's bitter smoke, the lass felt her heart palpitating with fervent beats as the cannabis worked its magic; sending her to a state of heightened awareness and temporary bliss which could last for an hour or two. It was a ritual she had developed after her father's death; and there was never a day when this former genius didn't light up for the heck of it, as the memories of her volatile past cascaded down to haunt her conscience.

 _Trust . . ._ She paused to place the fuming joint on a nearby bowl; then stared at a blurry reflection cast upon the fogged up window, reminding her of a life she had left behind.

"I wish those days would return once more, so I could erase every mistake I had made since then."

Reaching out to wipe the morning dew, the lass was given a full view of Manila's heavily blotted skyline; where a heavy smog hung above the harbour that was still aflame amidst the efforts of the local residents and fire fighters to douse the flames.

 _I thought I could hasten the end of war . . . yet, I was gravely mistaken as I had unleashed a demon that will not stop until the world is in flames._

Then with a last stroke to clear the droplets of dew; she was suddenly taken aback when she saw the face of her creation; dressed on a tattered white blouse, glaring out its bloody red eyes which spoke of malice and hate. It was an omen of what is yet to come, and she knew that one day; her time is up.

"I will come for you Koizumi . . . I'll make sure you suffer the pain I went through all these years . . ."

It then changed its visage to that of a crow; blurting out its mocking caw which sent Pana tumbling down like a rolling stone. Paling from sheer fright and breaking on streams of cold sweat, she squirmed like a hapless tot as she felt her spine had cracked. Unable to support her weight, Hanayo couldn't help but cry as she felt rather helpless; curling up to a ball while contemplating the purpose of living on despite the guilt she carried.

"If only . . . If only I could turn back the clock . . . then . . ."

"Then you had never found us." A young female voice interrupted Hanayo's chain of thoughts; and she then found herself being supported by the girl's strong shoulder, making her mutter its name on the moment those beautiful pair of lilacs met a faint streak of red.

"Cocoro . . ."

"Mama." She mused, soliciting a refusal from the flustered scientist who then retorts "I could manage myself . . . please let me go."

"Don't worry, I'll leave you be upon reaching the bathroom."

Cocoro is the eldest of the lost children, and Hanayo grew fond of this lass who sort of reflects her former self; serving as her trusted aide. Being the tallest with a height of 5 feet and four inches, she functioned as the group's god of operations and propaganda; responsible for marking suitable targets for elimination and arranging the pieces of information gathered by her siblings before relaying it to Mac Arthur's hands. Garnering the codename of "Jynx" and one of the Jaded Lily's respected killers, she is a trained marksman under the brunette's guidance; but severely lacked the physique and stamina the other two possessed respectively, making up for it with her sheer intelligence.

Limping their way towards the cramped space where a humble pail and dipper awaited their arrival, the raven then assisted her mother to strip for the morning's bath; and rubbing her back with a piece of sandstone as Pana's body was lathered with soap. Covering her breasts, Hanayo turned for a bit; only to see a dead expression set upon the gal's youthful visage. It wasn't that surprising at all, as Cocoro was known to be extremely dense and apathetic towards everyone else; but still retained a softer side whenever she's near her foster parent who saved them from certain death.

Except for Nico whom she had decided to use as a sacrificial lamb in hopes of saving her father.

Staring at a tiny window which reflected a glimmer of sunlight, Hanayo clasped her hands together as she remembered that fateful deed which would one day come back to haunt her.

 _It is considered just that I meet my demise on the hands of my very own creation . . . for a simple sorry couldn't pay for the lifetime of hurt I had inflicted upon her budding soul._

* * *

Manchuria 1933.

Five figures dressed in laboratory garbs gathered underneath the glare of a fluorescent lamp which hung by a chain; feverishly scanning through a year's worth of data they had listed from the experiment they had termed as _Kaguya_ in reference to the Goddess of eternal night. Amongst this band of brilliant minds, a young girl that was only fifteen years of age carefully panned her eyes at a clipboard which bore the specifications of their test subject; a despotic orphan whom they named _Yatagarasu_ due its uncanny visage resembling the demonic crow whenever it was partially lit by the dying rays of moonlight.

It had been days since they decided to starve the hapless victim who was grieving for her sibling's loss; as Hanayo had discovered that in order to effectively suppress the debilitating feeling of pain, she has to shut down the patient's neurological functions . . . And the only way she could achieve such results, was to kill the orphan and revive it with the transfusion of blood that was mixed with RX-70; and a very strong jolt of electricity directed onto its heart.

"This will suffice. . ." She bleakly cooed while thinking of her dearest papa who could be suffering under Tojo's grasp.

 _Don't worry, we will finally come home to our native land. . ._

Smiling as she thought that the deal with General Tojo would finally be accomplished during this fateful night; she confidently placed the data on a table and duly notified the captain of the Imperial guards who were all dressed in Chinese uniforms in order to incite confusion. Asking him to lead her towards the cell occupied by the demented soul; Hanayo couldn't help but feel rather scared that failure may bring about death to the man whom she valued more than her principles.

It had been months ever since she had received a mysterious crate which bore the lost children; and much to their surprise, they found out that they were Japanese due to the chrysanthemum seal burnt under its lid.

 _They might be the Empress' rumoured brood . . . But there's no way to prove it unless I could find supporting documents._

Reaching the bars which separated her from a grieving wreck of a once loving sister, Dr. Koizumi saw the raven slumping at the corner; her face covered with those lustrous sable locks which duly reflected the lunar beams.

"Orders?" the captain mused with his men on the ready to fire once the subject decided to lash out.

"Stand down." She calmly ordered before walking towards its iron bars. Sensing their presence, the girl slowly raised her gaze towards the scientist; still in deep lamentation from her kin's own passing, causing quite a tug at the brunette's heart.

"What have you done to my siblings? Why must they die? Why?" Nico grieved with her eyes shining through its strands; glaring out in vivid crimson which further intensified in hue as the moon shared its borrowed radiance.

"Cocoro . . . Cocoa . . . C-cotarou . . ." She mumbled like a madman, her arms lying limp by the sides; a sign that the lass had already given up on life.

"I loved them so much . . . I struggled to keep them alive . . . but what have you done? You took them away from me . . ."

Seemingly unfazed and putting up an emotionless demeanour to hide a soul which crumbled at each passing second, Hanayo tucked her arms behind and looked at the captain who was also guilty for the raven's plight. Then expressing her bid with a voice still calm and pure; Hanayo gave the order by which the guardsman obeyed without questioning its moral decency or doubt.

"Drain her of all her blood, and clean the cadaver before you bring it to me."

With that said, He pulled a bayonet from its strap while his lackeys entered the cell and restrained the hapless victim who was severely weakened and never dared to resist; crying some silent tears as she knelt in front of the mad scientist. Breathing heavily with beads of sweat dripping down her guise, Nico could do nothing more than perform the final act of begging for a swift death; staring at the protégé with ruby orbs filled with despair while whimpering like a pup as the soldier pressed the blade against her throat.

"Your sacrifice will never be forgotten, as your demise will finally complete that which my project demands."

Unable to stomach the dreadful scene which was about to unfold right before her eyes, Hanayo left the premises with a heavy heart; only to cringe in terror after hearing the garbled moans of the child as she was slaughtered like a lamb. It went on for a minute or two as their footsteps cluttered within the raven's cell; perhaps struggling to pin the victim who convulsed as she slowly bled to her death. Yet Pana tried to shrug those ill feelings with much success, making her way back at the glaring light of the laboratory; pausing for a moment to recollect her wits and unable to speak from the horror she caused towards a fellow human being.

 _I'm really sorry . . . But I must do this to save my father . . . I hope you understand._

"Koizumi!" A man called out from the darkest recesses of the room, and with a snap of his finger; a lamp was lit and Pana was shocked to recognize the entire general staff of the Choseon and Kwantung Armies. And amongst the group of tanned officers and aides was a man who wore a circular pair of glasses; grinning at her like an imp whose turquoise orbs reflected pure malice which seeped from his soul.

"I wish for your glorious success." Tojo hollered out then sat on a bench together with his staff; staring at the protégé with sheer interest. Swallowing her fears and taking in some deep breaths, Hanayo then took her place near her assistants who are already well dressed for such a feat; all clad in rubber gloves, facemasks, and an apron to prevent such vile smears sticking onto their clothes.

Coerced to work for their imperial masters, they were already experts to their chosen fields; but what set Koizumi apart from the rest of them was her intelligence which set her high upon everyone elses expectations. Calmly wearing her gloves and a facemask to cover the fluster developing upon her cheeks; she then discussed the exact process of administering the drug which will re-animate and enhance the performance of their subject.

Coming round like a flock of vultures on a rotting carcass, the scientists listened to the budding mind who explained it with a concise and laid back manner; all the while stopping herself from purging due to nervousness and horror.

"Eun, I want you to precisely plant the needle right into our subject's right eye; make sure it goes deep enough to puncture her cerebrum."

The man with greyish streaks upon his bangs agreed, and carefully siphoned the vial's contents into a syringe that possessed a hairline needle. It was tedious with a very high margin of failure, but Hanayo must carefully instruct and put all her trust into the assistants who are also victims of circumstance as well.

"Kim and Chung . . . the two of you shall assist me on surgery. That's all."

"A-as you wish ma'am."

Letting out a sigh, the brunette adjusted her collar and took a glimpse at the last scientist who is five years her senior; a man whom she harboured an inkling of affection, due to the simple errand by making a cup of coffee during her sleepless nights of research. Unable to maintain eye contact; the lass just told him his role on the upcoming finale of Matryoshka's inevitable rebirth.

"Park . . ."

"Yes ma'am?"

Wearing a smile underneath her mask, Hanayo mused "You'll serve as my aide, and obey my every beck and call . . ."

And when she was about to speak up her mind, the bloodstained guards returned with Nico's pale and lifeless body; carried by all four with one holding onto her head which drooped from the deep gash left by the knife. Dumping it unceremoniously onto the operating table; the captain didn't give any sort of courtesy to the protégé, and stepped back together with his lackeys to wash up from the awful deed they had committed. Now with everything set in front of the bewildered scientist, Pana clasped her hands together for a short prayer; hoping that the soul of the deceased would never bear a grudge to her someday.

An assumption that she would gravely regret as Nico was revived with a demon controlling her mind; spurred on by the anonymity she had experienced in the hands of a girl who just wanted to save her father.

 _Nico . . ._

Staring at the waters which formed a whirlpool as it seeped into the drainage; Hanayo whimpered for a bit as she saw her reflection, all jaunt with no hopes of cheering up. Seeing that her mother was quite distressed, Cocoro decided to snap her off it by taking the dipper from its bucket and quickly spilled it off at the brunette who shivered and scowled "Cocoro! What do you think you're doing?!"

Hiding a mischievous grin under her palm, the kid pretended to be decisive and asked "You're thinking about her again, aren't you?"

Hanging her head in shame, the protégé gave off a sigh and replied with a very frail "Yes."

Clearing her throat upon hearing the latter's word; the lass then assured her foster mother that she's going to be safe if ever the rogue sibling returned to collect her dues.

"Don't worry mama . . . we'll protect you from her when the time comes."

With that said, the Yazawa sibling poured some more to remove the greasy residues left over by the initial wash; then helped her parent dress up for the day ahead, oblivious of the fact that Hanayo deliberately hid the truth away from them.

Meanwhile on the floors below, the restaurant thrived with the usual bustles of daily life; its mahogany upholstery and tables spit polished with its varnished surface gleaming in vivid brown, while its velvet lined seats plunged the customers into a world of elegance at a very cheap price.

Ornamental plants adore its corners, giving the place a very fresh ambience and a sight to behold as its broad leaves are peppered with droplets of dew. Soldiers, businessmen, vagrants, and common people entered through its windowed door; its chimes giving a sense of recluse to the hectic world which loomed outside. It seemed that the grim spectre of war failed to remind them of the dangers which lay ahead; conversing in vivacious and rowdy chatter, exchanging laughs and amicable smiles.

"Hoy bata! May itlog ba kayo jan?" (Hey kid, do you have some eggs there?) A soldier called out to a girl who was a lot sexier than her sadistic sibling; huffing as she frantically carried a tray filled with some breakfast specials which included pancakes and a cup of coffee.

Greeting a very sweet "Good morning" to a banker while placing his orders at the table; Cocoa then eyed the trooper who sat behind and gave him a meek assurance.  
"Teka lang ho." (Please wait for a bit.)

Shorter by an inch of her sister but possessing a rather shapely frame and a domineering pair of breasts, Cocoa was the jack of all trades; fulfilling the roles of waitress, chef, bartender, and sometimes exchanging it with Cotarou if the situation calls for it. Outgoing and amicable, this dainty flower is well loved and sought for by the customers who returned each and every day just to see this one of a kind gal; never knowing the secret she hides under that youthful smile. A viper hiding under a lamb's innocent guise, she is tasked at dispatching marked men whom her sister deemed to be pro communist or sympathizing with the Empire of Japan. Known as "Belladonna" due to her innate beauty and charm, Cocoa also works at day's end on a brothel owned by one of her mother's acquaintances; determined to sacrifice her dignity at the tender age of fifteen for the sake of protecting her second home from the threat of invasion and inner strife.

Well versed at the art of seduction, she weakens her victim's guard down with that angelic voice; then either robs or dispatch the hapless client by smothering him by her chest or with the use of a pillow. And due to the lack of knowledge on the field of criminology and crime detection; Cocoa always succeeded at evading the eye of the law, contributing to the success of the spy ring which owes its allegiance to the Kuomintang.

Rushing back to the counter with a brisk pace, the girl pressed the bell which caught the attention of her little brother who was shaking scotch for a constable.

"Yes?" He buzzed while never averting his concentration from the task at hand.

"You got some left over hard boils there?"

Pausing for a moment to take one from a tray; Cotarou then tossed it to her sister who quickly caught it by reflex.

"Wow, you're getting good at this." He remarked while putting up a smirk.

"Pfft, I am the best at what I do . . . Now if you'll excuse me, I got an appointment to make!" She then gave Cotarou an affectionate wink before returning to satisfy the client's order.

It was business as usual on this nondescript Korean restaurant; as news of another raid was simply shrugged by their trusted patrons who were mostly infantrymen that are garrisoned at Fort Santiago. But what sets them apart from their Corregidor counterparts was that the Army are dressed on a dark blue uniform; sporting tanned gaiters and deep brown boots, coupled by a yellow handkerchief tied on their necks to distinguish them from the navy who wore none of the sort. Because of this, they resembled the U.S troopers who subjugated the archipelago at the turn of the century; minus the iconic cocked ten gallon hat worn by cowboys. They were rowdy and undisciplined, instigating bar fights whenever they see fit; forcing their competition to shun these band of hardy men who were mostly conscripted from the scattered islands of Visayas, forced to undergo a year's worth of harsh training for the sake of feeding their families.

"Sir, here is your order." Cocoa mused as she placed it neatly onto his plate. Satisfied by the service meted out; the Master Sergeant then gave her five pesos as a tip. Surprised as it was her first time receiving such an act of favour; the raven giggled like an innocent lass and duly thanked him for the deed.

"Maraming salamat po."(Thank you very much) She bowed, by which the man just replied with a shallow grin; before returning to converse with his subordinates.

"I'd like to have a glass of water!" A civilian raised his hand to call upon the waitresses' attention; snapping the orphan from her moment of monetary triumph. Tightening the apron to flaunt that shapely waistline, Cocoa came towards the group of men seated right behind the commonwealth grunts; this time, dressed on long sleeved camisa de chinos with straw hats placed at their laps.

Determined to give them a warm welcome to the city of lights; Cocoa duly gave them a bow as a gesture of respect, soliciting some malicious stares from the group whose leader inquired the whereabouts of an agent known as "Pandora."

"We came here because someone invited us to a party . . . So can you please tell us whether Pandora is available now?" He then slid a piece of paper in front of the hostess' who now knew the true objective of this band of farmers. Slipping it into her apron's pocket; she gave off a succinct wink and excused herself to call for the person in question.

"I'll tell her at once, and please make yourselves comfortable . . . for the party will indeed commence after a short while."

"Don't worry, our patience far exceeds the cordilleras." The supremo jested in assurance, and the girl proceeded to alert her matriarch at the important deal that is about to be brokered underground.

Unlike the hectic situation down below, the two are sitting by the bed; with Cocoro combing the protégé's shoulder length hair. Now well groomed and ready to perform her duties as the leader of the Jaded Lily; Hanayo slightly turned to take a glimpse of the adopted child, feeling a bit bubbly from the affection she had always received since she took them under her wing.

"Cocoro . . ."

Raising an eyebrow, the apathetic sibling then tied her hair into a ponytail; causing the brunette to chuckle as strands brushed through her nape.

"Hmm?" she whined, by which Pana faced her and asked "Would you still stay by me even If you already have a family?"

Swallowing for a bit to disguise her embarrassment to such an inquiry; Cocoro just looked away and retorts "Of course. And anyway, I don't want to get married to some guy . . . they are very disgusting creatures."

Hearing this, the protégé laughed and gave her daughter a hug; thankful for the blessings she had received at the midst of guilt and deceit.

"Ma, there's no need for such an act . . ." Cocoro protested while huffing desperately for air. The two then separated when they heard a creak coming from the doorway; followed by a figure coming in to interrupt their time as mother and child. Ironing her pleated white blouse as the creases became glaringly obvious; Hanayo was relieved to see Cocoa and stood up with support from their eldest sister. Never wasting a moment to relay the news, the girl took the letter from her pocket and duly presented it in front of her matriarch; saying:

"I'm sorry to interrupt your grooming session, but the mountain boys are already here."

"Very well then." Pana then took the parchment and beckoned the voluptuous lass to act as her crutch; for Hanayo was disabled after a brush with death at the conclusion of project Kaguya, double crossed by Tojo and his fanatic minions.

With the girls controlling her pace, the former lead scientist of unit 357 whimpered in agony as it felt like knives were being jabbed in grim succession onto her thighs; all the while never averting her gaze to the cramp corridor which led towards the staircase, determined to broker an agreement between the Nationalists and the Philippine insurgents who were engaged on a never ending battle of ideals.

Binondo was a city dominated by the Chinese, and it's not really that surprising that the Kuomintang had duly established a firm foothold upon this district found at the banks of Pasig. Considered as the prime supplier of the commonwealth's gold reserves; the government left this movement to thrive on metropolitan Manila, unlike their red counterparts that only exist as small pockets delving underground called "sparrow" units.

Popular amongst the Elites and exiles from the conquered lands; Hanayo found refuge under its white sun after she left Korea, out of fear that Tojo might send her very own creation to hunt her down. And the moment she stepped onto Chinese soil, Hanayo made the most difficult decision she had ever made; shedding her nationality in order to gain refugee status within the KMT. She was then told to remain in hiding within the city of Shanghai; and when war broke out between the two rivals, the lass abandoned all hope and ran to the American colony as reports surfaced of a Japanese soldier that seemed to be unstoppable even if it had procured the most grievous of wounds.

Horrified and clearly distraught at the thought of dying, Hanayo deliberately held the truth from her adopted children; stating that their sister had already left them to die, inspiring the ire of the trio who pledged to defend her to the last breath.

A cowardly act of manipulation, but was forced to do so as she was already crippled from being subjected to a botched act of execution.

 _I thought I could save you from them, papa . . . But I was too naive to recognize that not all Japanese live by their word_

Then a scene played once more from the depths of the girl's demented mind, kneeling on a ditch where her father's remains were partially buried by Lieutenant Tsubasa and her band of sadistic men; riddled with flies and the stomach churning stench of decay.

"Papa . . ." She whimpered while holding onto his pale, cold hand; while the kempeis snickered with malicious stares set upon the lass' shapely build.

"What have I done to deserve this?" Her glasses became fogged up from the constant stream of sultry tears; while her palm felt those hands that had already lost its warmth.

"I made my part of the deal without any hesitation . . . B-but how?"

She stared then at the leader who was grinning with a foot set upon a spade; trying to solicit a decent answer from the queen of diamonds, but was instead scoffed upon by the arrogant officer.

"I'm sorry, but the general ordered us to do some spring cleaning to make room for new arrivals. . ."

Stammering as grief finally sets in to fog her judgement, Hanayo hung her head in defeat as she cried in hopes of returning her father's life; while the ruthless constable who would one day become the Minister's most trusted henchman took a leisurely walk behind the grieving lass, pulling out a pistol and cocking it with a smirk.

"I'm so sorry! I should've listened to you!" She screamed from the top of her lungs; holding his hand closer to her forehead. Expressing a feeling of disgust, Kira aimed the nambu on the back of her head and said, "Kid, thank you for the contributions you had given for the emperor . . . but I am sorry to tell you that your services are no longer needed . . ."

Then with a quick pull of the trigger, a bright flash followed by a heavy punch sent her lying on the dirt; while her ears were screeching in pain from the gunshot which changed her life. Twitching as her bodily functions slowly succumbed from the mortal wound; the Korean protégé felt her vision fading to a distant blur, paling in fright as blood dripped into her eyes.

Jumping down the pit to check on her, Lt. Tsubasa holstered the pistol and sarcastically said:

"Don't forget to send my regards to your father, dear."

And right before she took her final breath, Hanayo rolled those alluring set of amethysts onto the clear blue sky; smiling as the sun's vermillion rays shone through the fringes of her grave, expressing a final wish to the land she had always loved and cherished.

 _My only wish is that my generation wouldn't come to pass, not until our flag proudly waves upon this sacred land. Oh land of the morning calm, how much I dreamed to see you free at last . . ._

Surrendering her will to death's forlorn embrace, Hanayo slowly closed her eyes as dirt descended to the pit; covering the child who was deeply scarred by the unlucky twist of fate.

They thought they could keep the unit's secrets with her to the grave; but on the eve after the execution, she was miraculously saved by her father's men who took care of her for a couple of months. And when the Japanese intensified their crackdown on these separatist groups, they risked their lives to smuggle her to Shanghai where the lass embraced the ideals of the Kuomintang at the cost of her citizenship; yet vowing to return one day, and lead a final revolt that she believed will surely depose their colonial masters.

But now with the threat of invasion looming on the horizon; all that she could do was hope that her deception may never be unearthed by her adopted children.

 _I . . . I never wanted to be alone . . . But what would they feel if they would one day find out the truth?_

She cringed at the thought, paling as nervousness took its hold.

"Okaa-san. . ." Cocoro whispered, interrupting the brunette who hid her guilt by putting up a shallow slant upon her lips.

"You're worrying too much; I could see through your actions."

"It's just that . . ." She stammered like a tot, and was interrupted by Cocoa who chimed "There's the three of us, and she's alone. We will defend you to the end mother, for it was you who gave us hope all along."

"Cocoa . . ." She mused, making the voluptuous gal snicker as she reached for the rails. Gazing at the befuddled guise of her mother, Cocoa gives off a smile and said "We may work our backs for a whole day here, but at least you still offered us a better life than what we had led before. And because of that, we are forever grateful of being accepted under your wing."

Taking the first step with a vibrant glow set upon the brunette's cheeks, the three descended through a flight of stairs; giving all their support and strength to the one who gave them a glint of hope, and another shot at life. And upon reaching the bar that was filled with people from all walks of life; Pana smiled as she saw them all enjoying their meal, ignoring the flustered faces they all shared from the spiced up dish.

I . . .

The brunette then felt something brush against her thigh, turning to see what's happening behind; she saw Cotarou chuckling like a child as he offered her a seat.

"Okaa-san, what would you like to order?" He jests, by which Hanayo suppressed the feeling of utmost joy which bubbled from her chest.

"Cotarou, you silly little thing . . ."

Making herself comfortable as she panned at the tranquil scenery of a blooming business venture, she just paused for a moment and gave off a wry smile; thankful of the blessing she had earned for the past few years.

 _Maybe I worry too much that I forgot to see the blessings I had acquired . . . A new hope, family, and a place I could call home._

"You're Pandora I presume?"

She then saw a hand reach out to her, looking up and realizing that it was her honoured 'guests'; Pana accepted their little gesture of friendship and welcomed them to her humble abode.

"Kapitan Tiyago, It's a pleasure that you had heeded to my call."

Locking amicable stares with a slant set upon the guerrilla's lips, he then went to the order of business by presenting to her a crate of vegetables and spices; a product from the bountiful harvest coming from the Cagayan.

"There's no need to bother bringing me some crops, for Manila's markets could easily supply me with the goods I need."

"Nonsense, I'd also like to help you one way or another." Directing his grunt to give the supplies to Cotarou, he then sat in front of the flustered lass; eager to get acquainted with a newfound contact that he could use to further communist operations on the area.

Leaning for a bit in order to muffle his voice, the rest of his guards sat at the vacant tables; keeping a watchful eye with a hand on their colt 45's that were concealed between their jeans. But before he could speak, the lady diverted her glare and told him that the meeting would be held underground; as the rest of the spy ring would assemble there on a moment's notice.

"This is not the right place to discuss it. So I suggest you should follow me, for they are now awaiting your presence as we speak."

"Understood." He chimed and stood from his seat, while Hanayo requested the twins to help her up; leading the way with an unearthly gait, followed by Taruc and his band of loyal guards.

Watching by the counter as the group left to discuss their terms, Cotarou sighed with relief as he could finally have a little break; as one by one, the ecstatic patrons left to report on their daily duties. Placing three shot glasses by its lacquered surface, he skilfully switched its place in quick succession; a skill he had learned while growing on the streets of this Wild West town where criminality seemed to be the norms of daily life.

Functioning as a bartender during the day and also sidelining as a spy by night, He uses his immense knowledge of alleyways and sewer tunnels to infiltrate establishments and escape those who might have the initiative of pursuing him. Known to everyone else as "Slender" due to his light build, Cotarou was no expert at handling weapons at all; and is always tasked by her foster parent to smuggle cannabis in order to soothe her guilt. The boy knew the risks involved during each of his sorties, living each and every day playing a deadly game of cat and mouse as the Japanese dispatched their own agents to the ever loyal city; melding into the crowd of people living by their daily lives. And if he isn't careful enough, he might just find out that one day, the beggar sitting by the alley or the saleslady hollering at the marketplace might dispatch him at a moment's notice.

Shrugging his fears away with some innocent cackles, the boy placed the glasses back to its rightful place and decided to read a newspaper left by one of his colleagues. Panning by its pages that were still crisp and smelt of fresh ink; he then raised an eyebrow at a headline written in bold which finally confirmed his assumptions due to the actions demonstrated by Imperial spies.

Putting up a grimaced stare, he duly read its contents with one thing in mind . . . the thought that he might come face to face with his heartless sister.

 _God Forbid . . . I don't want to see her again._

 _Manila Gazette, December 9, 1941._

 _Japs declare war on the US, strikes Pearl Harbor at daybreak's bell. 2,100 sailors and airmen killed and six battleships damaged beyond repair, FDR about to hold press conference tonight as Nation cries foul over backhanded attack._

"I knew this would happen." Looking at the grandfather clock whose pendulum ticked seconds without hopes of bogging down, Cotarou speculated that the president will speak to the nation sometime between one and five o'clock. Pursing his lips as it was only 8 in the morning; the boy returned his attention to the article when the chimes suddenly rang in a melodious salvo. Partially lowering the papers to know who it was, the Japanese orphan was surprised to see a marine sergeant dressed in khaki with white gaiters covering her knees.

"Ooh la la . . ."

With eyebrows twitching at the sight of a redhead coming in their diner; Cotarou felt his heart skipping some beats as the lady struts like a dignified lass, illuminated by a halo which reflected from the glass laden door. Taking a seat right in front of the runt who was already hyperventilating from sheer infatuation, the sergeant immediately rolled those vivid pair of violets against his hazels and scowled; effectively snapping the young boy from his lewd thoughts.

"Is there a problem kid?"

Crashing back to the realm of reality as his actions became glaringly obvious; the guy just rolled the newspaper up and tightened his chequered scarf, all the while stuttering like a man who had seen an angel.

"Hi . . . G-good morning."

"Same." The girl nonchalantly retorts while brushing her bangs aside.

Taking a menu from the corner, Cotarou tried his best to suppress the unearthly shuddering of his hand; soliciting a rudely drawn advice from the lass.

"Next time, don't wash your hands after work."

"Oh, is that so? I'll t-try then . . ."

Upon receiving the piece of cardboard from the bartender, Maki panned her eyes through it like a hawk; while the boy watched her very closely, as he was really charmed by this siren's visage.

 _I haven't felt anything like this before . . ._

Putting a hand above his chest to feel some faint yet furious beats; Cotarou then tried to help her by suggesting some dishes which might appeal to her senses. Bending over to assist, he took a subtle peek of the gal who was wearing quite a jowl; perhaps bemused by such an act of flirtation.

 _Ugh, help me get over my fear of talking with women . . ._ Trying to maintain his poker face while hoping that the hazel contacts won't fall, he then started to point out with excitement brimming upon his voice.

"This one here is our shop's special, yet it costs ten pesos a bowl."

Following the boy's lead, Maki narrowed her eyes and read the item with much difficulty due to its pronunciation.

"J . . . Jjamp-pong?"

"It's Jjampong, rice noodles served on a spicy broth."

Furrowing her brows, the redhead then diverted her attention to the one that was seated at the bottommost part of the menu; swallowing her pride for a moment and duly asked what it means.

"How about this? What's in this dish?"

Wearing a smirk upon his face as he could sense the girl's vulnerability, Cotarou confidently read it while catching some glimpses on the Chinese orphan.

"Oh, you mean Tteokbokki?"

"Come again?"

"Tteokbokki."

Twirling a lock of her fine scarlet hair, Maki gave it a sharp glare before inquiring with a slight hint of doubt on her tone.

"Okay . . . So, what is it?"

"Its rice cake bathed on hot sauce." Cotarou optimistically chimed, locking eyes with the flustered sergeant who immediately looked away and snarled:

"Maybe I'm not on the mood for spicy food . . . Can I have a bowl of fried rice, boiled eggs and sliced tomatoes instead?"

Clearing his throat, the lost child then interjects "Would you like to have some ketchup to go with it?"

"Yes please." The redhead crossed her arms and stared at the rolled newspaper.

"Say, can I borrow that?" She pointed out, by which the jittery boy looked at it for a second and stuttered: "S-sure."

Giving it to the marine who wasted no time at scanning its contents, Cotarou then rushed to the kitchen and did the work himself; leaving the window behind the counter open so he could watch over his attractive client. Leaning by the kitchen sink, he took a moment for a breather and removed his scarf as the heat took its toll; perhaps fuelled by the stint of infatuation the moment he laid his eyes on her.

 _Wow . . . I sure do feel weird today._

Diverting his gaze from the flower of Shanghai who might had already noticed his blatant stares, Mr. Yazawa was disappointed to find out that his sister had left the stove burning out its fuel; giving him a dilemma of epic proportions.

"Cocoa . . . You had one job . . . Just one!" He cussed, soliciting the sergeant's attention who hollered out: "What's going on there?"

Scratching his head after realizing the awkward situation he's in, Cotarou waved his arm and assured to her that everything's alright.

"Nothing ma'am! Uhm, but I have to apologize though . . ."

"Apologize for what?"

"Your order might take some time for it to cook . . ."

"It's okay, I could wait." Maki then returned to read the morning papers, giving a little bit of inspiration to the boy who clinched his fist in determination and said,

"Alright then!"

Opening the cabinets below the sink, He was elated to see some neatly stacked mahogany branches and a bunch of paper he could roll and set up the fire.

 _Welp, here we go again._

Setting it neatly within the stove's earthen mouth, he took great care in arranging it to a heap; taking into consideration the delays an improper set up could cause. And after a few seconds of arrangement, Cotarou took a piece of paper and lit it with a match; then placed it underneath the pile of wood with a glint of hope shimmering under his contact lens.

As the fodder burnt halfway through, the Yazawa sibling stole some glances at the fair maiden sitting by the counter; curious at the nationality she belonged to. Examining her from a distance, his attention was piqued right away when he saw a white twelve rayed sun sewn to the sergeant's left collar.

 _She's from the Republic . . . No wonder her eyes are slanted._

Curious to learn more about this strange half breed, Cotarou tried to strike a conversation while putting in more rolled paper to fuel the flames.

"Ma'am . . ."

"What is it?"

Smiling as he was mesmerized by her somewhat gentle and elegant voice, the raven was able to muster some courage to ask:

"Say, which part of China did you come from?"

"Shanghai." She quipped while reading the headlines with a piercing glare. Relieved that his first step for winning her over worked out; he then took an assumption that she left during the breakout of the Far Eastern War.

"Which district?"

"Zhabei." She irked.

"Oh, I came from Xuhui . . . we were neighbours then." He beamed before blowing the smouldering embers with a bamboo tube. Embers flew around the kitchen as he puffed, and the boy couldn't help but cough as some bits of greyish haze spewed forth onto his face. But little did he know, Maki covered a succinct giggle with the newspaper; perhaps quite impressed at the effort he had put into her meal. Then after a few forlorn huffs and burnt papers; Cotarou wiped his brows as the flames had finally risen, emitting a very bright glow upon his weary guise.

"How much do you earn here kid?" the sergeant mused while putting on a disinterested look on her face.

"Twenty pesos per day Milady."

"Really?"

Giving off a quaint nod in response, Cotarou then returned the question in kind.

"How about you?"

"Seventy five per fifteen days" Maki answered without second thoughts.

"Oh . . ."

"Well, sort of . . . I still have to pay for my daily necessities and taxes. . ."

Waiting for the fire to intensify within the earthen stove, Cotarou decided to prepare the iron pan; washing it under a steady flow of water.

"Hmm, you must be an aristocrat back then." He wondered, making the redhead inquire with sarcasm on her tone.

"How so?"

"Simple, your skin doesn't bear a single trace of blemish and sunburns."

Resting it on top of the searing flames, the raven took a moment to relax; sitting by a chair overlooking the window where the lady awaited her order.

"You're very good at your observations kid . . ." Maki then turned around as the chimes rang once more; and Cotarou knew that the men who entered their diner were members of the Jaded Lily, evidenced by a small lapel pin which bore the Republican's white sun. Glaring upon the Chinese exile who also returned the act in kind; the shady characters then rung the service bell in two quick beats, a sign that they are here to attend the meeting that would determine the fate of the warring factions.

"Damn it, at a time like this . . . Seriously?" He cursed, then puts the pan aside to avoid blackening its cooking surface before then walking out of the kitchen to entertain the prominent members of his mother's spy ring.

Tying the chequered scarf back and facing the visitors with overflowing confidence set upon his face, Cotarou then gives off a wink on his right eye; making them understand that they should proceed to the basement immediately. Following his directives they went without muttering a single word, leaving him quite distressed that the sergeant might grow suspicious of the characters that interrupted their conversation.

"You've got some interesting people hanging around here." She remarked while staring intently into his eyes.

"Yes . . . they had actually reserved their seats here . . ." He quivered as he adjusted his tie.

"Don't mess with me boy . . ." Maki then held her collar for him to see the distinguishing mark of a nationalist spy; a tiny blue dot found at the left side of her neck, causing Cotarou to gawk out in sheer disbelief.

"W-wait . . . Don't tell me Y-you're . . ."

"Yes, I am one of those dispatched to infiltrate the commonwealth ranks . . . so you better lead me to them, boy."

Puckering his lips as he remembered the sensitive nature of the talks, the Japanese orphan scratched his head as a stream of sweat overwhelmed his judgement. And after a minute or so of giving out a damned stare, he finally relents and inquired about the splinter cell where the sergeant belonged to.

"What chapter do you belong by the way?"

"Silent fox."

 _So, she came from Ah Mah's faction. . ._

"Very well then . . . may I know your callsign?"

"Rose."

Turning around to hide an unearthly fluster from the sheer luck he had received; Cotarou scrambled to close all the windows and lock the door, before beckoning her to follow his lead to the darkest recesses of their seemingly innocent storefront.

"I just had to warn you though, once the council finds out that you are lying . . . You will never leave this place alive."

Putting up a smirk upon her innocent guise, Maki then walked past him and scoffed with her amethyst orbs reflecting a tiny glint of light.

"Try me."

* * *

I may not update again this month . . . Sorry guys.


	10. Faded Stars

A/N: I still got a lot to go as far as improvements are concerned . . . and I am planning to edit all the other chapters, especially 1,2, and 3 where I found the plots sorely lacking together with half baked grammar; not to mention character development and stuff like that. And I also apologize for the slow updates, for requirements sure take some time to accomplish; and now that the Philippines has a new president in power, I am looking forward at being commissioned into the ranks this October.

You know what they say round here: Service for the nation doesn't always come first; it is the paycheck and self advancement that counts, not to mention the perks of being a man of arms.

Alrighty then, till next week? Cheerio!

* * *

 _Known as the backbone of an Empire whose stars shone high above their heads, the Imperial Japanese Army or Dai Nippon Teikoku Rikugun was considered as the premier fighting force in the Asian realm; which started out as a conglomerate of clans loyal only to Emperor Meiji himself. With the dawn of the 19_ _th_ _Century and the era of Sengoku drawing to a close; Europeans set about colonizing the orient either by commerce, false diplomacy or brute force, eventually finding their way to the land of the Rising Sun that had just opened its doors after centuries of bitter seclusion._

 _Seeing the potential of an army united under a common cause, the French whose Napoleonic lineage was legendary the world over; trained and equipped these ragtag bunch of plebes along their doctrinal lines, up until they bitterly lost their prestige against the ruthless Germans during the Franco-Prussian war of 1879. Now with draconic advisers moulding the army as the venerated British were with its navy, the once pitiable force became in par with its western counterparts in number, strength and equipment; including the scope of their imperial ambitions and zealous nationalism._

 _Setting their sights on the land of the morning calm, the juvenile conqueror sought to seize it from its long time adversary whose massive armies were lauded as only the best there is; slugging it out on its hallowed ground on a conflict known as its first true baptism of fire: The Sino Japanese War of 1899. Deemed as an underdog by the west in comparison to the Qing which ruled over the continent for centuries, the Japanese shattered their assumptions by dishing out a beating against its larger nemesis; culminating on a resounding victory which had won them a nation and much craved acclaim, with the loser mercilessly torn apart by the ravenous monarchs of France, Britain, and the German Empire._

 _But it seemed that the curse of strife didn't leave as it supposed to, and during the year of 1904; Tsar Nicolas sent his men to seize the cape of Liaodong, eager to take Port Arthur which will serve as their gateway to the warm waters of the Pacific. Insulted by such a blatant underestimation of their military prowess, the sons of Nippon took their blades once more and fought tooth and nail against the overconfident bear; taking the attention of the world which still looked down at them with a frown, doubtful if they could even succeed against the Russian's sheer resolve._

 _Then like a sudden twist of fate, on the seaborne battle of Tsushima and the decisive blow at Mukden; the once proud tsarists knelt in shame before the rising star of the orient, further fanning the flames of nationalism which could one day serve their downfall._

 _Yet sadly, even if the corps had a colourful past and noteworthy achievements; the IJA was severely underappreciated than its sea borne counterpart and had since became a breeding ground for radical ideas and rogue officials who employed the concept of gekkokujo to a higher extent. Mutinies and insubordination were prevalent during the 1930's; creating political divisions within its ranks, notably the rise of the Kodoha and Toseiha factions which procured a rift that had almost ripped the fabric which the organization stood by all these years._

 _But among this cesspool of rotting ideals and distorted pride are two young generals who were born worlds apart; with one who had already learned to embrace their long standing tradition for the sake of honour, and the other being used only as a pawn to fulfill her mother's blind ambitions._

* * *

 **Chapter 9: Faded Stars**

A maiden dressed in collared tees with khaki shorts lay at the comfort of her leather lined couch, listening to the fervent taps of a knife which resembled a machinegun cluttering about; bringing back the memories of a war where her career was forged in iron and blood. The radiant rays of the rising sun poked through the porthole's lens, illuminating the room that was adorned with furniture only a member of the elite could ever afford. Taking pride on the ochre patches sewn onto the collar's end, the poet general had never forgotten about the price she paid to earn the triad of stars crossed with thin red stripes; remembering the faces of those who sacrificed their lives on foreign soil, all for a cause they thought was right.

 _It felt only like yesterday when I left home, bringing with me a sea of doubt and regret. But these men who accompanied me through it all, they are the ones who taught me to appreciate whatever the gods had lain upon us; including the inevitable fate which every soldier knew and embraced since time immemorial._

Born on the time when spring's alluring waltz came to a subtle end, the child who would one day inherit a destined path got her name from the serenity which Homura experienced the day before she was born; giving her the epithet of "Honoka" which meant _harmony_ in the midst of fall. She grew up to be an outgoing little tot who dreamed of nothing more than being a star, drawing inspiration from the life of Tsuru Aoki whom she first saw on a flickering black and white film her mother bought at a bargain during Christmas Eve. But her father, an active serviceman on the navy saw the child's ambition as a sign of weakness; so instead of letting the young lass play like normal kids did, he trained her in the rigours of combat and self defence, just like his father had years ago. Training was the word which Honoka dreaded the most, and it's not that surprising as he would give her harsh reprimands for any trivial mistake she would make; and spend almost the entire weekend learning the art of kendo and marksmanship, aside from physical conditioning which had put quite a strain on her feeble frame.

 _He explained to me why he did this in the first place, muttering only these words in the most laconic manner he could: "For honour, and family."_

 _How could I even understand that? All those times you were beating me with that bamboo sword . . . For once I had never felt a sense of honour and love for what you've done~ and ever will._

Then one day, she was asked to buy some soya curd for their sweets as her father busied himself in preparation for being called back to service; Honoka decided to tarry and wander around Chiyoda, eventually finding herself at the edge of a playground where kids gathered from all around. Being the mischievous and curious cat she was, the ginger decided to join a game of tag; and that is where she met her first true friend, a naiveté who possessed such a pitched voice and fair ashen strands.

 _There's something about Kotori which had me glued to her all these years, and if I could remember correctly; she's the one who first held her hand out said hi, can we be friends?_

Soon, the two became very close and would always come by their shop to buy some sweets; particularly their red bean buns which the fledgling bird loved so much, coupled with the fact that Homura was Tomoko's childhood friend. Days turned into months which then matured into years, with Honoka stealing a few hours after class just to hang out with her best friend; while her father went to serve as an aviator at the height of World War One, the conflict which placed Japan in the pedestal of victors.

 _Each and every night, we heard the radio bursting with patriotic songs or 'gunka' as it was called; and I was fed up of its redundant lyrics which exalted the emperor for achievements done by common soldiers who bled on the frontlines . . ._

 _He didn't fight the war, he just sat on his palace surrounded by his concubines; yet nonetheless, after the songs faded into obscurity and the names of the fallen read for the good of all . . . The only thing that crossed my mind was my father; even if his mere shadow meant a myriad of dread for me._

 _I didn't know what I was thinking back then, as all I did was visit kanda and pray that he should come home in one piece; so he could accompany my mother who always cried a river ever since he left._

Then on a cold stormy night, Honoka ventured into the metropolis to buy some oil for their lamps; passing by the moonlit playground where she saw a figure looming by the slide. She cowered behind a tree as fear gripped her heart, but when the damsel latched those ambers against her sapphire pairs; the ginger realized that it was Umi Sonoda, the smartest kid she had ever known.

 _I knew Umi long before that, but was afraid to approach her due to the fierce look she possessed . . . not to mention her father being a member of the guards. But during that fateful night, she was clothed in a pure white Yukata with visible stains of red on its skirt; and was vulnerable and on the verge of breaking down. So then I took the first step, and reached my hand out to lead her back home. And from then on, she never left my side and became a pillar of strength together with Kotori._

With the Great War over and the treaty of Versailles signed on a lowly railroad car, the rest of the Empire celebrated in earnest as their fathers and brothers went home from the frontlines; but for the ginger who was hurt by the way he treated her, she didn't bother to wait and give him a heartfelt hug, as it only meant the continuation of the nightmares she faced.

Fast forward her entry to Otonokizaka with the help of Kotori's mother, Honoka was known to her peers as the "koi" due to her below average intelligence and orange shade which mimicked that of the fish itself and was deliberately singled out from the rest due to the colour of her eyes and hair which didn't quite match that of the stereotypical Japanese; yet nobody dared to mess with Sonoda and Minami who also possessed such unique traits, fearful of the reputation the two ladies shared. But in the midst of the trials which befell upon the fated lass, she never gave up and graduated 10th in the class of 159 cadets; making her a recipient of the medal of academic excellence which landed her a coveted post on the Kwantung's 16th IJA; known to the rest as _kaki heidan_ or wall division.

Now hailed as one of the ablest commanders of the Imperial Army, Lieutenant General Honoka Kousaka heads a corps sized group known as _Dai Jyuyon Homen Gun_ or the 14th Area Army which bore the epithet _"Shobu_ " that was eponymous with victory, and were tasked to seize the American stronghold of the Philippines and act as a wall just in case the United States decided fight back. Comprised of 47,000 infantrymen and engineers, it was a tad weaker compared to that of the 25th which numbered seventy thousand; not to mention the severe handicap of having a few crack infantry and artillery battalions which only belonged to the 16th Heidan. But what they lacked in experience, the group made up for the support that they had received; as the 5th Air group stationed in Tainan was conveniently placed at striking distance to Manila, plus the addition of naval infantries coming from Yokosuka, Maizuru, and Sasebo together with an assortment of battleships and cruisers under Vice Admiral Ise. And what sets this invasion force unique from the rest scattered throughout Southeast Asia was the fact that it possessed the highest number of engineers; a 7,000 strong brigade that was the result of a conflict with Gensui Minami from affiliating with the defunct movement known as _Kodo-ha_ or Imperial way.

The 1930's was a time when Nationalism was at its peak, and the army wasn't spared from the radical ideals which brewed within its ranks; resulting in the formation of two groups that had different objectives, but ends up with the same motive: War.

Fiercely loyal to the emperor while vowing to crush the Soviet Union and the Republic of China, it proved to be a quick sell for junior officers who searched for glory and set ideals; including the ginger that signed together with Kotori who was clueless that her mother was a staunch supporter of Tojo's _toseiha,_ a group whose allegiance lay with the parliament and opted to fight against America and Great Britain instead. Using the chaos of the great depression, the rivals fought one another in a war of shadows and propaganda; instigating mutinies and the assassinations of government officials which rocked the nation for half a decade. But the fanaticism of Araki and his followers crossed the line when they instigated the foiled 26th of February incident, where a detachment coming from the 1st Division marched into Tokyo and seized the city hall; with another group tasked to infiltrate the palace and kill off the ailing monarch to hasten the crown prince's rise to power.

It was the winter of 1936, and first Lieutenant Kousaka was on the middle of a training course at Mukden when news suddenly broke out that the mutiny was crushed by loyalist troops with the help of marines from Yokosuka; sparking concern for the welfare of her friend whom she knew was present during its fruition, as Kotori's name was announced to be one of those charged with high treason. In the weeks that followed, Sadao Araki's kodoha virtually ceased to exist as the government purged the military of its officers; while those who were directly involved with the mutiny were either imprisoned or hanged, except for her peer who was instead sent to the Kwantung due to her mother's influence within the Imperial court. Meanwhile those who were on the frontiers stayed true to their cause, but for the lieutenant; it was the end of her stint at radicalism, and diverted all her time and energy towards her studies.

Her two years of service in the Kwantung was an uneventful one, so in order to pass the time; Honoka enriched her knowledge and vocabulary by collecting books and magazines, filling her office with a plethora of literary works written by Lewis Carol and Jules Verne to name a few. She also studied tactics and world history, the latter being a rather unusual choice to be taken up by a junior officer. There, the once pitiful koi became a lady that was fascinated by the western world; and with it, the dream to at least set foot on English soil and see Big Ben. But the situation in China worsened on the early days of 1937, and with the thought of a full scale war became gruellingly apparent; Honoka was granted the promotion to Captain, while her division was shipped to Shanghai just in case their fears would come into fruition. Arriving at the Nationalist stronghold on the tenth of August, the 16th Division took positions on the northern banks of the Huangpu where the Japanese quarters once stood; there, they waited for the signal to cross Bazi bridge, the only causeway which separated them from the murky waters below and its metropolitan heart of Zhabei.

 _We were taught by our teachers that the Chinese are a bunch of unkempt men who wore triangular hats with dangling braids, carrying large swords while screaming some inaudible gibberish; but the ones we fought at Zhabei were different, as it felt like we were slugging it out against the might of the German army._

Assigned at the 7th Infantry Regiment's 4th Company, Captain Kousaka led her men through a hailstorm of mortar and lead; and being part of the Japanese vanguard, the casualty figures horrified the ginger who had spent years being fed with martial propaganda.

 _Move forward for the sake of the empire, do not bring shame to your family's honour . . . those were the words which escaped my lips during those darkest hours, panning my eyes through a scene of flashing lights and flickering fires; with the clutter of our boots becoming heavier as fear crept into our hearts._

 _They said soldiers should exhort praise for the emperor before parting ways with this world, but all I heard were moans and harried shrieks; together with the names of their dearly beloved and such._

And in a week of bitter fighting amongst the buildings and cobbled streets, her company had lost three fourths of its strength; and the ginger felt depressed to see men whom she got accustomed with a day before, were being reduced to smouldering ashes in the next. Traumatized by this, she swore to never make friends with anyone else; saving her from spiralling down into the depths of insanity which spread to the rest of its officer corps.

 _The notion of rank and seniority were washed out as we sat by the fire, sharing a meal of cabbage, soup, and a cup full of rice. We talked for hours on end about our lives on the mainland, and I was astonished to find out that for most of them; being in the army was a dream come true, a far cry from my own which I considered it as nothing more than tough pill to swallow for the sake of honour. . . But fate had never been too merciful for aspirants like them, for once the smoke cleared after a skirmish; I saw them staring at the sky with a faded smile upon their lips, as if they were trying to tell me something right before they passed._

 _It was a fact that was too hard for me to accept, so instead of knowing the replacement's names; I spent the moment to tell them: If you're here to make friends, go home and tend to your farms; then tell the emperor that I don't need people like you around here._

Disheartened and faced with stiff opposition, the budding officer became irritated at the way the Chinese fought; as positions they seized after a hard won fight were abandoned and retaken five times during the night, resulting to severe loss of lives and degradation of morale. For unlike the guards and marines whose unit cohesion ran high amongst their ranks, the average Japanese unit was prone to being routed and crushed; but in Honoka's case, her crack squads are almost depleted and were constituted by greenhorns and plebes. The situation continued on for another three months without any hope of being relieved, and when the siege was lifted after the final skirmish at Suzhou creek; the 4th Rifles, except a handful of veterans from the Kwantung, was complemented by replacements that were barely out of senior high.

 _I was happy when the battle is over, thinking that Chiang Kai-shek would sit on the negotiation table with high command; but it was an assumption I would later regret, as a single victory was never enough to satiate their visions of grandeur._

A couple of weeks after Shanghai, the ginger found herself marching towards the republic's capital of Nanjing; this time under the aegis of the 6th Infantry Regiment's 3rd Company as a replacement for their slain officer, with the remainder of her seasoned men absorbed into its ranks. Engaging the remnants of once proud divisions along the way, Honoka realized that the possibility of the war ending before Christmas was nigh; bolstering her resolve to carry on amidst the losses up until they had finally reached its towering walls.

 _I wonder how Yukiho is doing with her studies?_

 _That was the question which rang like a never ending mantra as I imagined my little sister waiting for me by Homura's door, carrying with her a piece of paper where a portrait of mine was sketched by crayons and ink._

 _As a sister, I missed her so much. . . But as a soldier, I must carry on and keep on fighting up until this war ends with either my death or resounding victory._

It was the 1st of December, 1937 when Imperial forces laid siege to the eternal capital; laying waste to everything behind its impenetrable barrier by bombs and shells. For ten days, the Captain weren't able to gain some rest; as the ear shattering roar of artillery kept them at edge all night long. And when a section of wall fell after a furious bombardment, the sleep deprived yet enthusiastic troops poured into the city like a pack of ravenous wolves; with Honoka's unit tasked to assault the southern gate, together with a regiment of Imperial guards. But much to their surprise, taking the capital was way easier than seizing Shanghai; and three days since the fateful breach, Nanjing fell under their martial strides. And due to the bravery she demonstrated on both pivotal battles, General Matsui awarded the ginger a field promotion to Major; together with the privilege to serve as his aide, a chance she took without hesitation or doubt.

 _The sounds of war still echoed from a distance, but there I was; enthralled at the sight of a willow casting its whip like leaves over the still waters of a pond. It was my first time seeing such a majestic tree up close, feeling its knobbly bark while giggling innocently like a child. It was beautiful beyond compare, and an evidence of a miracle set in the middle of a devastated city._

 _I could still remember my mother telling me that wherever a willow grows; ghosts will appear and so is bad luck . . . But with such carnage happening all around, I thought that I would rather spend a night underneath its shade than settle on my tent with a heavy heart. . ._

 _And so I did, much to my superior's chagrin._

But the fighting didn't stop as the ginger thought, and a day after the flag was raised; she had hit the streets once more, carrying out the orders made by Prince Asaka who had arrived at the 5th day of the siege. She knew deep within her heart that Matsui would never consent such a morbid feat, but there's nothing the ginger could do but follow; or bring shame to her family name. Tasked to arrest anyone suspected of being a member of the Kuomintang, Major Kousaka rounded up more than a thousand men and lined them up by the riverside to be shot; while the rest of the Japanese army engaged in random acts of arson, murder, theft, and rape. Six weeks had passed and the massacres were finally brought to an end by the old general who entered the city, and Honoka couldn't help but feel a little bit of relief; disturbed by the acts she had committed in the name of the Empire she loved, which became the underlying cause of nightmares which had haunted her since then.

 _We made no distinction of whom we killed on broad daylight; as long as they wore those piercing stares, a posture like that of a soldier, unusual sores on their shoulders and the soles of their feet . . . Young or old, I didn't care at all; knowing that my conscience is clean, while following orders from an emperor's kin._

 _Besides, they were the enemy; so it's either me, or them._

With the episode known as the Rape of Nanjing publicized the world over, Honoka became ridden with guilt and regret; for it was through her own command that a person's life be snuffed or spared. Ever since then, she swore to never harm another civilian; pouring all her time and effort towards rebuilding the shattered capital and helping the refugees, even if it costs more than her own salary. But it did little to atone for her sins, and when the 16th Division was once more organized to march into the Chinese hinterland; the lass visited the willow tree for one last time and etched a phrase which became her motto.

シンプル申し訳ありませんが死者をなだめるのに十分なことはありません、どちらも取り残されている人のためのパンのバスケットです。

 _A simple sorry is never enough to appease the dead, neither is a basket of bread for those who are left._

Merged under the aegis of the notorious 11th Army, the ginger was then given the rank of a full-fledged Colonel by Yasuji Okamura; a general whose penchant for using gas as a premier tool of subjugation became a subject for anti Japanese propaganda. With a new level of responsibility and a regiment to lead into battle, the ginger turned to the lessons which Shanghai wished to impart; taking into consideration the lives of her men which she prioritized above all. Within the olive canvas of her tent, the hesitant Taisa spent the daybreak hours reviewing the battlefield; placing great emphasis on the geography and layout of troop movements and defences. With the battle about to begin as the Japanese Air Force bombarded the city's industrial sector of Hanyang, the colonel went right into the general's quarters to ask his permission to be sent back in the frontlines; a request which garnered the adoration of the superior whom she later found out to be her father's childhood friend.

 _It requires a certain type of stupidity for a colonel to fight tooth and nail with its troops . . . But I guess I was the type who couldn't bear sitting down while their men bled out front._

And on the dawn of August the 13th, a month after the battle begun and the anniversary of her baptism of fire; Colonel Kousaka's 20th Regiment ascended the Dabie Mountains found on Wuhan's northeast, taking only a battalion of cavalrymen as a substitute for tanks which could severely hamper their progress through its densely forested peaks and jagged cliffs. While on the hunt for Nationalists within a maze of towering poplars and oak, the demoralized officer was treated to a sight of natural splendour; as the bamboo topped cliffs melded like an endless sea of green, while its limestone bellies reflected the sun's luminescent beam like a wall of glass.

 _The world is filled with wonders and such, and I bet it will continue to flourish long after we're gone; a quaint reminder that the world doesn't revolve around man._

Then after two weeks of marching near the boundary of Hubei and Anhui, they were able to meet the defences set up by the 77th Army group; and in the battle which ensued on the mist ridden forest, the colonel successfully pulled off her plan of distracting them as her cavalry swerved right into their flank like a pincer's edge. With her unit's morale bolstered by the seemingly insignificant victory, they descended the ranges on the eve of September the 14th; capturing the outlying city of _Shang_ two days later, and _Ma_ on the month that followed. And on October 27, 1938, Wuhan fell under the rays of the rising sun; marking it as the largest battle to be ever fought, as it spanned five provinces and the mobilization of more than a million Nationalist troops against four hundred thousand Japanese. It was a pyrrhic victory for the latter, even if the Chinese lost at least four times more as opposed to the one hundred seventy thousand of the empire's dead. Yet nonetheless, the lady who would someday become one of Yamato's most brilliant generals celebrated this momentous occasion together with her men; grateful that they had survived for another year on the battlefield.

 _And from that point on, I didn't care wherever they will throw me off; as long as my men are following right behind. Que sera, sera an old saying goes, so whatever comes; will come indeed, and I'll be waiting for it with open arms._

Impressed by the performance given by his friend's daughter, General Okamura gave the ginger a chance to be assigned on Formosa; together with the recommendation to be appointed as a Major General and commander of the 16th _kaki heidan,_ the unit where her career was made. And on October of 1940, with Fumimaro Konoe giving way to Hideki Tojo as Japan's prime minister; he gave the ginger a meritorious promotion to Rikugun Chusa, therefore ensuring that _toseiha_ will have little influence over the southern expeditionary group.

Nobody knew that the dumb koi were capable of achievements which far outshined her contemporaries, yet Honoka proved that with a little bit of patience, perseverance, and dedication; nothing can stand on her way, a fitting tribute to a baker's daughter born on the outskirts of Chiyoda.

"I've come a long way since then, I may have had regrets; but I have to move forward and prepare for perhaps, my final mission."

She then closed her eyes and drank all the goblet's wine, feeling quite refreshed as the bittersweet tang brushed against her throat; and with a satisfied grin, wiped off with a sleeve and reclined to bide her time.

"I wonder if I could ever have kids?" the general wondered as she fixed those lustrous sapphires onto the ceiling fan which precariously spun on its axis. Taking a moment to think about something naughty, she then gave off a hearty burst of chuckles; pursing her lips as she remembered that nobody wants to have an old maid like her as a bride.

"Before, I craved for attention and respect. Now, all I want is someone to at least settle down with."

Letting out a very loud yawn, Honoka stood up and reached for the woollen overcoat hung at a corner; determined to skip breakfast and sleep to continue her duties as a commander.

 _I'm bored . . . Maybe a stroll by the decks could ease my doubts._

Standing by the mirror with a grimaced visage, she slides the vivid green drab over her tees; then stopped after a succinct glint was caught on the corner of her eye, coming from the cabinet where she displayed all her awards and family photographs. Then like a spectre of a bygone age, Honoka saw her younger self which wore a grey double breasted tunic with its sleeves embroidered with four golden bands; tucked within a white cotton trouser that had a thin red line running at its seam, and were held in place by a leather belt that had the army's star etched at the buckle's face.

Speechless as her eyes became clouded with tears, the general didn't dare to mutter a single word; soliciting a radiant smile from the naïve cadet who then opened its case and took the first medal she had ever received.

"I remember being afraid of the future that the gods had in store for us, embittered by the past we shared and the present where we felt hopeless and such. . . But look at you now, a well loved general who had done great things for our land."

Wrapping an arm around the lass' shoulder, the doppelganger then leaned in and whispered:

"Faito daiyo, those were the words you used to cheer someone up; even if you yourself suffered from a society fond of stereotypes."

And with a quick slip to her chest, Honoka found the blue ribboned medal pinned next to the order of the golden kite; an award reserved only to soldiers who demonstrated bravery and exemplary leadership in the field of battle, and can be distinguished by its light green ribbon bordered with white.

"Yet you never gave up and kept on believing those very same words . . . proving to them once and for all that they could never put a good man down."

With that said, a gust of wind blew across her nape; and in the blink of an eye, the cadet disappeared without a trace. Left without a clue of what just happened, the ginger looked down held the decoration that had most of its gold lacquer scratched due to age.

 _But, why?_

Curious and bewildered at the same time, she turned it over and saw a phrase etched against its faded hind.

 _'_ 鯉のためにいつか素敵な白鳥になる人。 ' _Koi no tame ni itsuka sutekina hakuchō ni naru hito._ ' or _for the koi who would someday become a lovely swan._

"Papa . . ." Tears started to fall as Honoka didn't realize that it was there all along; knowing that her patriarch worked part time as an engraver long before he met Homura. For years she bore a grudge against the former marine whom she felt didn't had an inkling of love towards her at all; evidenced by her childhood spent only to train for her destined path, which indivertibly left a myriad of scars upon her tell tale heart.

 _I knew him as stern and unrelenting like a quartermaster, but this . . . this phrase . . . I can't even . . ._ And when she was about to sulk, the ginger heard some heavy steps cluttering from behind; by which she turned and saw Nico staring at her with narrowed brows while carrying a plate filled with rice and bowl on the other.

"It sure is early to cry, eh?"

"Oh . . ." Honoka felt rather embarrassed and immediately wiped those harried tears.

"It's alright, there's nothing wrong with that . . . you're just human after all." She deadpanned while setting up her breakfast on the lacquered desk.

With her interest piqued at the corporal whose reputation of being a killing machine was legendary amongst imperial forces, Honoka crossed her arms and watched as the raven took great care at organizing the scattered reports and photographs; arranging it to a stack which she then hid underneath. Impressed by the work Nico had done towards a total stranger, the general settled down and beckoned the lass to sit by her side; never minding the horrid rumours she heard from the frontlines.

 _Maybe she's misunderstood . . . Just like me._

"What is it?" the corporal inquired as she loosened her collar, by which Honoka narrowed her eyes upon the former's throat which revealed a callous slit which ran from the bottom of her ear; shedding a hint of truth behind the stories spread across her army.

 _I need to clarify this with Umi . . . there's something really unusual about this girl._

Gossip had always been a soldier's form of entertainment, due to the scarcity of legitimate sources of information like newspapers and transistor radios on the front; sometimes resulting in blatant exaggerations and epic alterations whom she rendered a lot more worthless than dirt. But the ones concerned about the entity called "Himeko" or "Akame" sent chills down her spine, as it told a story of a girl who made a pact with the devil to grant her another shot at life. It had been circulating since her fourth year at Otonoki, but it's only during the pivotal battle of Wuhan where she gave some interest to its authenticity when prisoners spoke of a terror prowling under the light of the full moon; described to bear the mask of a child and the eyes of the devil himself, even giving it the name "riben jiangxi" because it continued on its murderous rampage even if they shot and wounded it several times.

 _They were the enemy who might've shot at me a while back, but those soulless stares they gave and pale lips which shook as inaudible moans escaped made me feel that they should be protected from the demon at all costs. Maybe this is the reason why we never encountered Nationalists at night ever since Shanghai . . . but whatever the case, I still need to learn more about this certain Corporal who sort of fits the description._

"Nani?"(What) Nico vexed with a twitch on her left eye. Realizing that she had been giving out a malicious glare towards her guest for quite some time; the general tried to act cool by clearing her throat in hopes that the marine would just shrug it off.

"Oye, I'm talking to you." The latter peeved with a deeper voice. Hearing such a stern transition on the girl's childlike tone, Honoka stooped for a bit and tried to think of an excuse; when Nico opened a bottle of whiskey with a quick snap of its cap, chugging it down her throat like it was nothing more than a canteen full of water.

 _What are you, Nico?_

A moment of eerie silence ensued as the lady halved her meal, determined to give a hearty share to the unwanted guest who was now her newfound friend; while the rowdy seaman lets out a satisfied sigh, then faced her host who mused "Here, have some of this" paired with a radiant smile beset upon those sun kissed lips.

"I can't accept that. I cooked it just for you." She retorted with a smug, soliciting a grimace from the general who said "You're my guest, and I can't stand indulging myself on such a hearty meal while you just watch."

"Look, just don't mind me okay?" Nico snarled then crossed her arms, prompting Honoka to eat with a bit of concern riddling the depths of her mind; pertaining to an old friend whose dreamy guise and innocent facade reflected a shattered soul lying within its immaculate husk.

 _We may be a sea apart, but our souls are forever linked by an ethereal bond. Kotori, I wish you the best. . . And may the gods light your path._

* * *

It was all silent on the shores of Kota Bharu, except for the gentle hums of the ocean which brushed against its powdered sands. Nine hours had passed since the first marine set foot upon its hallowed soil, and nine hours ago; everyone else thought that their world will remain in peace and harmony, only to be dashed by a rude awakening from the rays of the rising sun. With each successive thrust onto its white smeared dirt, the sea slowly erased the faint traces of footsteps and tracks created by the loathed machines of man; vying to return it as it is, the day before. Meanwhile, on a tree trunk washed ashore by a storm long ago; a maiden with ashen locks and dark green garb sat with sword rested at her lap, with its woollen cap reflecting a tarnished star lying on a wreath of laurels.

The lady was a guardsman, the cream of the crop of an entire army whose wreathed stars inspire both fear and awe to their enemies; while inspiring courage and fanatical zeal to everyone else who saw their tasselled banner flashing its crimson rays out of defiance. She is Lieutenant General Kotori Minami, supreme commander of the 25th Area Army which bore the moniker _"Tomi shudan_ " or prosperous; assigned to seize the oil reserves of British Malaya and its crown jewel Singapore, which planners viewed to be the symbol of England's sovereignty over the Asian realm. 70,000 strong with full air support from French Indo-China and Vice Admiral Ozawa's formidable 3rd Fleet; it was poised to challenge the might of a monarchy whose numbers were twice as theirs, and with deeper knowledge of its realm. Composed only of seasoned troops which Tomoko personally handpicked from the Kwantung, they were well equipped for the task at hand; together with officers that possessed hell bent dedication and unyielding fanaticism towards their ideals. It seemed that everything had gone well for the daughter of a family whose names soared high within the Imperial court, but it seemed that the lass was distraught and stooped like a tree about to fall; perhaps delving into the depths of worry as the burden of such a monumental task was too much for her to bear. And like her peer who witnessed the horrors of war firsthand, this general whose eyes reflected the dying sun couldn't help but lament the loss of those who were coaxed to fight for their land; leaving those they love to suffer in mere silence, while they bled for a cause only the elites understood all too well.

 _We live under a clear blue sky, provided by a bounty of food and material wealth; yet all we did was engage in constant bickering which slowly drained our souls of humanity._

Compared to Honoka who was a pauper by birth, Kotori was an aristocrat by lineage; with her roots originating from a daimyo's household which ruled during the sengoku, together with the Sonoda's who served as their closest bodyguards. As a child, Kotori was known to be an honour student who devoted almost the entire day to study; determined to ace all tests no matter what, in order to gain her mother's affection.

 _Whenever I came home with an incomplete mark on my paper, she would tell me that I didn't pay for them to tutor a worthless little brat . . . and even if I was hurt by those words, she's still my mother; and I love her so much. So I decided to sacrifice a bit of my time with Honoka and Umi just to win her approval and much craved affection._

Then on the year of 1925, when the first snows of winter fell on Tokyo's metropolitan skyline; Kotori received news that her father perished at sea during a storm near the island of Peleliu, dashing her hopes of seeing the man after fifteen years of living a solitary life with her mom. And unlike the ginger who was hardened by years of her father's cruel upbringing, the Minami's sole heiress lived a sheltered life; developing a weak personality that was prone to buckling at the slightest trial, further worsened by her father's untimely demise. Because of this, her manipulative mother took advantage of the girl's inability to decide on her own; giving her a false sense of security from all the pain which may ever come in her life. And even though Kotori knew that she was just being used as a pawn for her mother's ambition, the kid didn't care anymore; and left herself to be controlled by the puppeteer in exchange of love.

 _Father was devoted to his work as a businessman on the states, so during those years; I only have my mother as my pillar and shield . . . And when he died, that was the time when I appreciated Mother's sweet embrace which filled the void in my heart._

 _Besides . . ._ taking off one of her black leather gloves, the general scooped some sand and let it slip through the spaces between her fingers; saddened by the twist of fate which left her emotionally scarred for life.

 _I was never able to see him in person . . . with only his faded photograph acting as a grim reminder of a family I once had, and will never be._

Faced with a possibility of reverting to her mother's maiden name of Yamashita and leave the Minami's household, Tomoko remarried her uncle; securing their claim to all the man's estate and his accounts, together with her husband's own. Being a former general of the Imperial Army, he urged the lass to enroll in Otonokizaka where her mother worked as a supervisor; by which Kotori obeyed like a meek little lamb, a decision that she will never regret for the rest of her life.

 _It was first day of class, and we were sitting on a broad circle by the polished floor . . . and what do you know? The moment I saw those familiar hues of blue and orange, the first thing I yelled was Honoka-chan . . . Umi-chan . . . It's me, Kotori~_

Then as she was looking at the sands which had spilt on her boots, a peculiar creature surfaced at its midst; making the girl smile as it focused its beady eyes against hers, while strutting sideways, back and forth against her toes. Entertained by such a whimsical denizen of the sands, Kotori decided to forget all her woes for the time being; and picked a silver fountain pen from her coat's waist pocket.

"Anata wa kawaidesu yo!" (You're so cute) She tittered like a tot while poking the crab with it, amused by the way it shielded the foreign object with its greyish claws. But as she spent the time horsing around with a hermit crab, a low toned female voice interrupted the general with a very numb mention of her rank.

"Taisho."

Startled yet determined to keep her composure, Minami returned the implement to its pocket and turned; raising her brows when she saw a girl with vivid orange locks, wearing a tanned coat and black banded peaked cap which was rather familiar for the taupe. Puzzled, the commander stood up and tried to solicit further information from the rude officer; only to be shocked when she saw a black armband wrapped on her right arm, the distinguishing mark of the savage kempeitai.

 _W-wait . . . I didn't request any of these dogs to join my group!_

Steering away from the lady's lilac glare, the general couldn't believe that her mother allowed a cancerous organization within her army; knowing all too well how Tojo used this godforsaken force to quell insurrections within the conquered lands.

 _You still haven't moved on from your toseiha roots, huh Mother?_

Then out of the palm tree's gloomy shade, two more figures dressed in the same regalia appeared; this time, a Colonel with light brown hair and a Sub-Lieutenant with purplish locks.

 _A regiment of Tojo's lapdogs had arrived, I think I should play along for a while._

"They said it's good to bask under the heat of the summer sun once for a while." The green eyed Taisa then extended her hand for a shake, a gesture which the commander grudgingly accepted with a piercing stare. With their leather gloves screeching from the bitterness which brewed within the lass' heart, the kempei then duly introduced herself with a grin.

"I am Kira Tsubasa, commander of the 13th Division; on the ready to enforce our emperor's will to the heathens."

 _Emperor? Blasphemy, you never serve anyone except your own interests._

"Kotori Minami, 25th Army group." She responded with a shallow smile, adamant to never let go of the officer unless it decided to pull it out which she did; much to the taupe's utter amusement. Taking a brief moment to feel her knuckles which seemed to be crushed by the general's iron grip, Tsubasa then pursed her lips and looked at the Major who stood close by. Stepping up to take her place, the ginger then placed a hand over her chest and bowed to the superior whom she had disturbed in the first place.

"My apologies for ruining your time to reflect, dear taisho. . ."

 _There's something with this girl's pitch which brings an eerie chill down my spine._

Surfacing from the gesture of respect, the aide defiantly latched those soulless eyes against the latter's own; giving a glimpse to the sadistic nature of this gal which made her hairs stand on end.

"I am Yuuki Anjuu, head of operations."

Unable to hold her doubts at bay, Kotori scanned the mischievous kempei and found a dead giveaway of her nationality; a gold lapel pin shaped like a snowflake, the symbol of soldiers drawn from the puppet state of Manchukuo.

"What part of Manchuria were you from?" She asked without a hint of fear.

"Jinzhou." Yuuki answered with a slant set upon her lips, then returned in line to let a pale faced subordinate take the roll.

Eyeing the minor officer whose eyes were pretty much hidden on its visor, the general took the pleasure of finding some distinguishing marks on its apparel; and found a lapel pin that resembled a magnolia under springtime's bliss, the endearing insignia of Chōsen or Korea.

 _Two colonials and a mainlander . . . this is one interesting batch of kempeis I have here._

She then returned and narrowed those amber pair of hers, by which the tall oriental beauty stammered with a timid yet mature tone.

"Erena Todou, chief propagandist."

Leaving out a silent sigh, Erena stepped right beside the Major and tucked her arms behind; prompting the Marshal's daughter to leave them a message on how the soldiers should behave under her command.

"Well, that took quite a while." She mused while fixing her gloves, and with a quick snap of her boot; the trio immediately stood at attention, with the shorter Tsubasa being the main focus of her disgusted stare.

"No one under my jurisdiction shall loot, burn, or kill any non-combatants; and if you are caught, expect quick judgement and being hanged on sight."

With that said, Lt. Todou took a quick gulp; a reflex which Kotori saw as a sign of a submission, unlike the others who kept their draconic stares.

"If you see an enemy raising a white flag, come to their assistance by giving them water, cigarettes, or whatever it is that could alleviate their suffering . . . after all, we're all brothers and sisters living under a clear blue sky; and when this war is over, we will resume our amicable relationships with them."

At the end of the statement, she puckered her lips as it felt rather dry from the heat of the summer sun. And after the moment of taking a re-breather, Kotori resumed on stating her rules to the people whom she didn't realize were the queen of diamonds, clubs, and aces; three of the most trusted henchmen under Hideki Tojo who sent to spy and destroy her reputation.

"I value discipline above all . . . And I know what kind of demonic deeds you and your organization had committed on China and the conquered lands. . ."

Standing closer to the Colonel who didn't budge with her antagonistic stare, General Minami leaned in and spoke with a tinge of anger on her whimsical tone.

"I warn you, Taisa . . . Once I hear reports of summary executions and maltreatment of my prisoners, I will personally take your head."

"Understood." She adamantly replied.

With the orientation done and the clock fast approaching the eleventh hour, Kotori dismissed the trio who then followed her through the jungle with an escort of Imperial guards; perhaps to discuss their course of action against the British and her allies on its makeshift headquarters situated in the village of Orong Solong.

 _I wonder what's Honoka doing right now? It'd been a while since I've seen her~_

* * *

"Ittadakimasu!"

The ginger raised her arms and swayed like the innocent lass she was, thankful for the breakfast that was given to her by the grumpy marine who smoked an entire box of cigarettes while she ate; leaving some ashes and flickering embers scattered on its lacquered top.

"Oye, stand down will ya? It's not like I made you a twelve course meal or something~"

"But, my energy is back as it is!" Honoka exclaimed like a hyped up toddler, flexing her muscles which made the corporal smirk for a bit.

"Well, if that's the case . . ." Nico then stood up and gathered leftovers onto its plate, and left the general with a very lively "Good" before she proceeded to the kitchen to wash up. With the faint clutters of the latter's steps reverberating through her quarters; Honoka couldn't fathom how such a thoughtful soul like Corporal Yazawa was being called everyone else an abomination and a murderous psychopath.

But as she wasted her time pondering about the mysteries surrounding her guest, the door cautiously opened up with a creak; and in came a messenger whose sling bag was filled with letters from the mainland. Putting up a bow, he then took one from his pocket and duly presented it to the ginger who was quite perplexed at who could possibly send her a letter at this time of day.

"Taisho." The private meekly muttered without staring straight at those glaring pair of sapphires. Receiving it with a warm smile, the man excused himself by giving the same gesture of respect; then calmly walked away without saying another word.

 _I doubt if it came from my parents . . . they haven't even given me a reply since I left Korea five years ago._

She then flipped it and was shocked to see the navy's seal which consisted of a cherry blossom sitting right on the middle of an anchor. Ticked by such a sloppy service the courier imparts, Honoka gave out a disgusted look and thought:

 _If he still continues to relay these letters to the wrong addressees . . . He is so going to lose his job._

But then, being a curious little cat she was; the ginger decided to open it up, but made sure not to rip it off so Umi couldn't notice it at all.

 _She's not going to find out if nobody tells her~_

Taking a letter opener from a drawer, she tediously unwound the adhesives which sealed it shut; and after a minute or so of sticking her tongue as it proved quite a bothersome task, Honoka managed to see its content which seemed to be a letter of transfer complete with accompanying birth certificate.

"Eh?"

 _I think this is supposed to be confidential . . . Not to mention this is meant only for the Rikusentai's commander._

She then cringed after an image of the furious colonel flashed from the depths of her mind, and when the ginger was about to give up; her eye caught a familiar surname written in reverse, typecast with a prefix "En" for its rank.

 _So a fresh graduate is going to transfer under Umi's command . . . Interesting._

Lifting it up for a bit, the ginger's azure pairs laid upon a picture of a female cadet whose eyes reflected the vivid gleam of emeralds; together with its name which sent shivers down her spine, due to its striking semblance to the kamisori Taisho whom she so despised.

 _W-wait . . . So this is~_

And when she was about to mention his name, Nico returned with a pair of limes which she tucked neatly on her arms; holding it closer to her chest like a newborn child, soliciting some silent chuckles from the general who hid the letter on her coat's waist pocket.

"Nico, you should've taken all of it." She chimed, grateful that someone finally took interest at emptying her fridge of unwanted reserves.

"Eh? Are you sure about that?" the raven beamed out with a pale shade of pink strewn across her cheeks, earning a nod from the ginger who then supplemented the previous statement with the reason behind her light hearted approval.

"Call me an ingrate, but I tend to distribute it to my men because I hate the way it tastes. . . I guess my body isn't suited for such a fruit that sour."

"Hmm . . . Is that so?" She pondered, by which Honoka replied with a very swift "yes"; prompting Nico to dump it on her pack which cluttered as it was stuffed together with whiskey. Meanwhile, the ginger noticed something sticking out its mouth; an oddly shaped object which resembled a tip of a stuffed toy's ear, evidenced by a radiant tuft of faded pink fur that had some miniscule spatters of red.

 _It must be her only pillar of comfort for being far away from home._

"Well, I'll be right back." Nico chimed with a smug, before rushing to the kitchen's realm to haggle all the juicy limes she could possibly get.

 _There are a lot of things I want to clarify with Umi about this marine . . . Especially the place of origin and such, including files pertaining about her past, dental records and the like._

And a few minutes later with the day almost reaching its zenith, Nico surfaced with her arms full of the yellowish and chartreuse fruits which she then tried to stuff into her leather pack; but to no avail as it was already filled to the brim, presenting the lass no other option but to use her netted helm. Thinking that it was her chance to strike a conversation with a newfound friend, Honoka stepped forward and offered a hand to take off the former's _tetsukabuto_ ; a notion which the corporal vehemently refused with a very stark and bland "I can manage myself."

Being a stubborn and persistent sort of officer, the ginger grabbed hold of its chin strap and removed its buckle with much ease.

"Hey, I said I can do it alone~"

"No you can't." She sternly digressed, and with a gentle pull of the raven's helm; Honoka was then treated to a sight of scratches and deeply drawn scars on the little girl's nape, a sign that this soldier was a witness to many battles and terrible blows. Terrified by such a pitiable canvas of callous resolve, she took the chance to ask the Yamadon scourge whose head was already hung in bitter shame.

"Nico, can you tell me how long you had served here?"

"Why should I?" She blandly retorts without even staring into the general's eye, a reaction which made the ginger feel a tug of compassion towards the raven's fate.

 _She's just like me, pushed to do something we never loved in the first place._

Swallowing her pride, Honoka then gave her a succinct tap on her lustrous crown; an act which startled the corporal who glared at her with vivid red orbs.

"What do you think you're doing?" She snarled like a cornered cat that was about to strike back, but instead of being intimidated by her voice; the ginger wrapped her arms around the lost child, causing the latter to drop the citrus buds which scattered all around.

"W-why you . . ."

Closing her eyes, General Kousaka couldn't feel any hint of warmth on Nico's husk; proving once and for all that the one who cooked her meal was in fact the reviled demon of Wuhan.

 _This girl, she resembled my dear Yukiho the day I left for Korea._

"Let go of me! Damnit!" Pissed and surprised by such a deed uncalled for; she flailed in hopes of being set free from the ginger's grasp, but gave it all up when Honoka leaned in and whispered:

"You remind me of someone I knew."

Sapped of her strength for being subjugated by the girl's strong arms, Nico could do nothing more than turn her head for a bit and ask with a glint of light in the corner of her eye.

"What do you mean?"

Then like a whiff of ill wind, the ginger heard the door closing behind with a spine chilling creak; followed by solemn steps which resembled like a wraith's deafened knocks, making her release the petite footman who sat dumbfounded amidst the scattered fruits. She quivered at the sight of a looming figure standing by the doorway, and when it decided to take another stride; the rays struck its wreathed anchor on its cap, while the light blue tabs flaunted a trio of silver blossoms skewered by thick gray lines.

A kaigun daisa . . . If I could remember . . . Wait a minute, Umi?

"I've been searching far and wide . . . up to the point of crossing through a rope bridge which rocked as I went~"

With a pair of ambers glaring beneath its laurelled visor, the commander of Yokosuka's finest marines struts through its polished floor with knuckles clinched in rage; coupled with cheeks which harboured a vivid shade of red, revealing the gash on her left eye which earned her the army's sobriquet of _Onigawara_ , or ogre.

Fearful of what could possibly happen once the bluenet lost her temper, Honoka tried to distract the walking time bomb by placing her hands over her shoulder while saying: "Hey Umi, I think you should chill out for a bit . . ." by which her aide snapped woke up from anger's destructive trance and stopped dead on her tracks; together with the blush which returned to its pinkish hue as rage was replaced by utter embarrassment. Unable to maintain eye contact with her friend and colleague, Colonel Sonoda tried to explain her side by stammering like a meek little lamb.

"G-gomenasai Kousaka Taisho . . . I-it's, it's just that . . ."

"Oh great, what's the old maid doing here?" The corporal deadpanned while dusting off her trousers, before proceeding to pick up all the citrus loot. Putting up a sigh as she heard the way Nico interacted with one of the most feared swordsmen of the land, the general then averted her gaze towards her aide who was enraged once more from the crass inquiry of its subordinate.

"You little shit! You are going to work on the latrines for the entirety of this campaign!"

"It's better than staying with you on the frontlines." The little girl retorted with a smirk, further agitating the marine which shocked the ginger who knew her as a very calm and composed sort of person.

 _These guys seriously need a time out._

"I mean it Nico!" Umi then paused for a moment when she saw the rowdy footman pouring the fruits to her helmet.

"W-wait, where the heck are you taking those?"

"I'm sure it's not in your fridge, idiot."

Then with a quick slide of the straps on her shoulder, Nico carried her loot and thanked the ginger for being amicable despite her inherent rudeness.

"Hey Honkey, thanks for letting me stay here for a bit."

"Anytime Nico . . . Please come visit me anytime."

"What the hell did you just call her?"

Ignoring the furious bluenet, Corporal Yazawa went her way with a grin attached underneath her pale visage; grateful for the friendship which Honoka shared without any doubt or question of seniority. Meanwhile, Umi was supremely ticked by the raven's disrespect for authority and was about to bolt out when Honoka held her hand and said with a voice which soothed the hot headed marine.

"Umi, please stay . . . we have a lot of things to discuss."

* * *

Meanwhile on the coast of Taiwan, a lone aircraft painted in the darkest shade of green buzzed about on its daily routine; relaying messages between the commander of the 5th Air group and general Kousaka herself. But this time, the lowly F1M2 Biplane would return to Kishin Maru with a precious cargo seated at its rear fuselage; a young officer bound to report on the elite 8th Yokosuka that was headed by one of her father's bitter enemies.

"Sir . . ." the lady exclaimed at the pilot whose face was almost covered by his scarf.

"Yeah?"

Latching her turquoise eyes on his rear view mirror that was hung under its topmost wing, the ensign who possessed those lustrous purple strands lets out an innocent smile and asked:

"Would they accept me even if they already knew who I really am?"

"Only the ogre knows what to do with you, so don't worry milady." He responded with a grin.

* * *

Miscellany:

Jisaburo Ozawa is known to his men as _Onigawara_ due to his unearthly height of 6'7, and was considered to be one of the three ugliest Admirals of the navy; together with Chuichi Nagumo . . . (the latter being a wild guess. Lol) and the other admiral which I still need to research on. (Could be Isoroku Yamamoto)

The unit names of the Rikusentai came from the naval districts where they were raised, namely Yokosuka near Tokyo, Sasebo in Nagasaki, Maizuru in Kyoto, and Kure in Hiroshima. . . Not to mention the special regiments found at Shanghai, Ryojun (Port Arthur), Yangtze, Hankow, and Canton.

I guess that's it~


	11. A Sister's Bond

AN: Ah yes! I had finally updated this after a little while! Hahahahaha! A lot of things sure did happen while I was inactive . . . ;w;

Happy birthday btw to my favourite tomato, Maki Nishikino!

* * *

 **Chapter 11: A Sister's Bond**

A ballerina clothed in the finest hue of ochre and blue spun underneath a spotlight's shimmering glare, extending those spindly yet supple arms to feel the breeze which caressed her petite and slender frame. All eyes were set on the figure who danced to a piano's melancholic beat, and an eerie silence enveloped the hall as she turned; her arms mimicked a swan that was about to take flight, with lustrous blonde locks which waved gently as she spun.

It felt like it could go on for an eternity as she pleased, basking under the limelight that illuminated a pair of sapphires which glimmered with passion far beyond a mortal's stare. But with the piece approaching its final vow, and light fading as seconds ticked by; the graceful ballerina stood in front of the audience and arched for a bow, just in time for the pianist to serve the coup-de-grace followed by a volley of unparalleled applause which filled the venue with its jubilant prose.

A shower of roses engulfed the stage with its crimson flare, while the echoes of glee became stronger as she strut through the wooded platform; generously flashing that coveted smile which made all the boys howl with sheer delight, and their girls shudder from a fit of envious grief.

But it was all a dream, cut short by a lady's gentle touch. And the girl who thought it was for real found herself lying in a bed of hay, blanketed by a sheet of cheesecloth stained with dirt and traces of mud.

"Hey, are you okay?" the host inquired as she stared against the blonde's dreamy gaze, holding onto a saucer where a candle unselfishly gave its light.

Taking a moment to assess, Eli turned and realized that she was on a room surrounded with crumbling concrete walls; and moss growing at the crevices with water seeping through its cracks. Creeped out by the place she was in, she immediately sat up and stared against the girl's lustrous rubies which reflected the flame dancing against the stale basement wind.

"Don't worry~" the girl bluntly assured the wiped out lass, "you're in good hands."

"W-what happened?" She asked, soliciting a smirk from the hostess who looked away and remarked "Oh nothing . . . It's just that we thought you were dead after eating one hell of a spicy dish."

"Seriously?" Eli sarcastically snorts to ease the burdensome feeling of fear which billowed from within her chest.

"Yup." The kid responded without a pitch, and introduced herself while maintaining a very stoic and unaccommodating glare.

"Park, Eun Jin." She then reached out for a shake, a gesture which the officer accepted with a hint of hesitation.

"Eli Ayase. Nice meeting you . . . Eun."

As soon as their palms touched, the Russian felt a shiver running down her spine as it was very cold like that of her mother's own. But before she could ask what's going on, "Eun" suddenly withdrew and turned to lead the way out of the damp recesses of their basement.

 _W-what's going on here? That chill I felt, it's like I'm reaching out to someone who had already died!_

"I guess I've already said enough. It's time for you to go back from whence you came."

Unable to stomach the suspicion stirred by the Imperial Navy's badge she saw hours prior, Eli latched a hand at her host's elbow and snarled "Hold on", by which the pretentious Korean immigrant immediately parried with a dead and stone cold tone, "There's nothing left for you to do here but to return and carry this bottle back to Corregidor."

"That naval insignia displayed at the bar . . ." the blonde stuttered as she tried to demonstrate the strength of her wit with a glare.

"What about it?" "Eun" inquired in earnest, by which Eli looked away as she tried to add up her observations.

 _The naval insignia, the color of their skin, the slant of their eyes . . . could it be?_

Bemused at the inquisitive nature of their guest, the bartender spat "You are already wasting time at such silly assumptions. The naval insignia is nothing more than a souvenir sold at any novelty store you could find in this city" and turned to lead her out of the eatery's basement. Realizing that she had already gained much attention from the suspicious folk, Eli played her card at being a dumb blonde and cooed "I . . . I see. Sorry," while stealing a subtle glimpse. And in the corner of her eye, she saw the reflection of the petite yet emotionless teen flash a dubious smug at the polished doorknob which further reinforced her doubts at the true identity of these so called immigrants.

 _Maki, save me!_

Meanwhile, in a room found within the maze of Chinatown's sewers; a meeting was already at full swing. Thehe two rival factions sat on a large mahogany table that was situated underneath the ceiling's relief of the white sun and blue sky; with the communists at the left, and nationalists on the opposite side. And at its northern edge, a lone velvet lined chair stood empty and forgotten; as it was reserved only for the chairman who happened to be the former head researcher of Manchukuo's unit 357.

"You communists cannot be trusted! How can we be sure that you won't defect to their side once everything goes rough? We've seen you fight before, and once the tides turn in their favour; you'll just leave us to be overrun and massacred in cold blood!" A businessman scowled at his Marxist kin who wore their characteristic pale blue coat and cap showing off a pint sized red star.

"It is not our fault if your armies are left in the hand of corrupt and incompetent fools! You know all too well that we can never beat the Japanese if we fight them tooth and nail! Not to mention that your so called alliance with the Nazis robbed our land with much needed resources to build tanks and at least a sizeable navy to begin with!" He replied in kind, further escalating the rabble which could end up shattering the already fragile bond these two factions shared. But there was one thing that these two can agree on, and it was the fact that unless they could reach an amicable settlement; the empire of the rising sun will continue on its relentless rampage through their beloved homeland.

Then, the thick iron door found behind the chairman's spot opened up with a very loud creak; and in came Hanayo and her entourage which consisted of local guerrillas aligned with the Marxists together with the influential Mr. Yi and Maki, who were both loyal to the Kuomintang.

The room fell silent as the brunette was escorted to her chair by Kokoa, who then left the room in earnest to fulfill her duties as a waitress. And after she had finally settled in; everyone stood up and took a bow as respect for this one of a kind lass whose words could mend wounds caused by the struggle between ideals.

Maki on the other hand, leaned against the wall together with Taruc and his men who had nowhere else to sit on.

 _I hope this won't take up much of my time. . ._

She then left a harried sigh as the thought of finding the rather clumsy mountain girl weighed more than accompanying this old acquaintance of her grandmother.

 _If she wasn't Ah Mah's friend, I wouldn't have caved in to her request. . . I just wonder where that airheaded Eli is right now, I hope she haven't gotten herself lost at a mall or something._

Everyone else in the hall looked on as Hanayo sifted through reports gathered by the Americans a few months prior, especially the one concerned with the general leading Formosa's garrison of Imperial troops.

"Hmm, so the empire must've run out of options and assigned a crafty little vixen to iron things out." She remarked, as the ginger's name rang a familiar tune to her ear.

But as she turned the page, Maki suddenly leaned in when she saw a monochrome picture on its typewritten bio.

 _That face . . ._

"N-no . . . it can't be." The redhead stuttered in shock, as it was the officer who was responsible for the death of her mother. Hanayo overheard Maki's sudden avulsion towards the person of interest and turned for a bit to ask what other information she knows about this particular officer.

"Do you know her personally? Please, don't be afraid to tell us about it."

She shivered as memories came flooding back; but tried her best to calm down and share what little info she had, even if tears had already begun to take its course.

"S-She's . . . I mean, I-I've already m-met her once."

And within a blink of an eye, her pompous demeanour gave way to a bout of hysteria as a pair of orbs glistened at the very edge of its narrow hall. One honey glazed, and the other cloaked in the deepest shade of red.

"Make an example out of her mother. But do not harm the child, let her watch." A voice whispered with malice strewn within its tone, and the sergeant's knees buckled from the agony of having to remember and a chance to face those who were responsible for her plight.

"If . . . If she'll come," She muttered as cold sweat dripped like a stream.

"I know the demon would tag along with her!"

Every Chinese immigrant who is present fell silent when their worst fears had come into fruition, as they came to a realization that their adversary was keen to demonstrate their might through the use of a demented puppet; while Ms. Koizumi just hung her head in shame, as Maki described it out of sheer terror and pain as she huddled in a corner.

"I saw those eyes . . . I saw them . . . They were red, and . . . and teeth, as sharp like that of a wolf's own!"

Seeing the orphan's response, the communist representative took off his greatcoat and placed it over the redhead's shoulder and said:

"I could tell that you're one of those whose families were massacred under this monster and its kin, a fate each of us here can relate to."

"Mom . . . Dad, they're already gone. I . . . I promised that I'll avenge them one day, but a-after seeing that officer's face. . . I didn't even stand a chance."

He sensed the depravity of this child's trauma and signalled for the guards to send her off, a notion which Hanayo stopped just as they were about to pick her up.

"Maki will stay and listen to our agenda, because this . . ." She turned the other page and presented it for all to see.

"This thing sitting on top the pagoda is the reason why I called all of you here."

The crafty old businessman Mr. Yi then took a pair of glasses and leaned in for a closer look.

"Is that what this child had been telling us of all this time? It looks like a little girl wearing a soldier's uniform." He remarked after seeing the silhouette which clearly showed a pair of twintails.

"Don't be fooled by its looks, that kid is responsible for most of our personnel losses during the last few months of Shanghai's siege." The nationalist representative stood up and immediately retorted with a deepened voice.

"Many of my men are afraid to move at night just because of her. They even refused any order of a night time counterattack issued by high command out of fear for their lives, giving the Japanese ample time to retake sectors piece by piece under the cover of darkness!"

Everyone else nodded at his statement except for the businessmen and local guerrillas who were still sceptical to say the least. The man then returned to sit so his rival could at least share if his troops had some unusual encounter with the said abomination.

"All of our troops are confined to the north, so all this time we're fighting the regulars who are as bloodthirsty as her. I guess we we're lucky enough to have never crossed paths with that so called jiang-shi."

By which one of his entourage members exclaimed, "Well, there has to be some way to kill it!"

And then the room became alive once more with random chatter as the factions discussed and shared any recommendations they had to each other, an unexpected outcome which Hanayo had long tried to forge with negotiations but to no avail.

Dumbfounded at what she had witnessed so far, the brunette then returned her attention to the orphan who had now returned at her usual and aloof state.

"Maki, thank you so much for helping us out." She mused, by which the redhead looked away with embarrassment strewn across her tomato red cheeks. Hanayo chuckled at her response, before she took the chance to stand and reveal Akame's Achilles heel. But before she could speak, one of the nationalists noticed the lady's act and beamed "The chairwoman has something to say! Please, let's hear her out!"

And everyone stared at her with eyes filled with hope.

"This could be something you all had already known, but there is no beast too strong that could live without its heart."

With that said, they looked at each other with remorseful glares; thinking that they could've saved a lot of lives if that thought came earlier.

"How could we forget that . . . Those men, they had family waiting for them to come home." The nationalist clenched his fist out of dismay.

"But as much as possible," Hanayo continued, "we must deprive Sonoda of the chance to deploy her trump card; and that means we'll need the help of the navy to sink her warship in hopes of sending this threat to the sea's unrelenting depths."

She chimed in hopes of covering her past with the project red queen.

"But how? We don't even know which ship she's in!" A man cried out from the table's opposite end.

"Well . . ." Hanayo stared at the guerrillas and chimed, "This is where these guys come in."

And everyone gave their attention at the rugged bunch of reds standing right next to the poor little redhead. The brunette then explained the sole reason why they were called for in the first place.

"You and your men are going to pose as fishermen to scour Bashi for the IJN's flagship. I'll be distributing copies of Sonoda's photograph before you head for home, and once you could get a whiff; just tell us when and where so we could coordinate with the commonwealth's subs."

"I think that's not possible right now." Maki interjected at the brunette who was happy to see her back on her feet.

"I saw the few subs our navy had moored at the harbour. It'll take months before those things could return to operational status."

"If that's the case, then our hopes will lie on our airforce and the coastal guns found at Zambales and Bataan."

She then opened up the map which had already outlined Mac Arthur's defensive outlines for plan orange; a set of four short lines starting at the coast of Zambales and ends in the heart of Tarlac, with its overall width ending at the northern end of Bataan where another set of defensive lines were put up.

"He plans to delay the Japanese advance in hopes that the mainland could send reinforcements . . . and I'm guessing that this'll hold up in just two to three months, considering the perceived situation our army is in; and the experience of the generals involved."

The fighters huddled together with their Marxist advisers and studied the layout together with their right wing contemporaries, with Maki beside the brunette who pointed out some areas where the irregular forces could concentrate on further hampering Kousaka's advance.

"I've known Kousaka for quite some time, and she's highly skilled at quick manoeuvres just like Minami who as we all know; had just landed in Malaya with full support from Saigon, so you guys needn't worry about hordes of aircraft dropping bombs over your head."

She then laid a finger at the region situated in the middle of Luzon and vehemently states,

"The Mountain Province is our only hope of containing her main army. So that means you should focus your guerrilla operations while the main body of commonwealth troops are massing at his planned defensive lines."

"H-how did you know that she'll show up right there?" Taruc inserted with a doubt, by which Koizumi calmly explained

"The first thing these guys would do is to find an airfield where they could stage more bombings from."

"But why in the mountains? I mean, we outnumber them; we know the layout of our land since we were young, and we could just storm in and give these tourists a very warm welcome!" He then turned around a bit to solicit a response from his peers who nodded in agreement, by which she responded with a stern warning.

"The first thing any loser would do is to underestimate their enemies."

She then looked at Maki and panned through the military advisers who were all disappointed with his statements.

"China was a very large country with an army which far outnumbered that of Yamato. At first they thought that allotting a quarter of it to Shanghai with others to Beijing in hopes of crushing their initial assault, but it turned out to be an irreversible mistake that had cost a lot of lives and a string of shameful defeats."

Hanayo took a pause afterwards, and wiped the glasses clean of fog as a film of tears distorted her sight.

"We won't be here today if sheer numbers alone determined the victors in this little game called war."

Everyone gazed as the brunette sniffled at the thought, but she managed to hold her wits and smiled with some words of assurance which surely brightened up their mood; and made the lowly orphan chuckle after a very long time.

"But don't worry, we'll be doing our best to aid for the defence of our second home!"

With that said, the guerrillas cooperated to follow through with her plans; and Maki reliving a glint of hope in the face of a storm that was about to engulf their land.

* * *

As the factions set aside their ideals and planned a more suitable course of action in aid of the commonwealth, Eli found herself sitting at a tram's cushion lined bench sitting right next to the stone faced and cold hearted Kokoro; who seemed to be in the middle of being aloof and unresponsive.

 _My goodness, this kid is really creepy. . ._

She then stole a subtle glance at her doll faced host, and realized something was definitely off.

 _Wait a minute, aren't her eyes brown the night before?_

Curious, Eli tried to take another one just to confirm her hunch; but when she did, her sapphires shrunk from sheer fright when it suddenly locked onto a pair of gleaming red ones.

 _Ooooooooooo . . . Maki! Where in the world are you now?!_

"What do you think you're doing?" the bartender deadpanned.

"I . . . I was just looking at some shops." She nervously responds as her face turned pale.

 _Please just believe it and stop staring at me like that!_

"I see. Beautiful, aren't they?" The little girl then looked at the wristwatch and ignored the blonde who breathed and let out a sigh of relief.

 _I think I had stumbled upon Maki's little sister, only difference is that this one is living at a distant wavelength. Ugh, I wonder what the world would be if everyone else has either the same attitude as that redhead or hers. . . Oh, the horror._

And as the tram silently traversed through Manila's eloquent street, the Escolta; Eli giggled at how she had met the lonely immigrant from Shanghai.

 _I remember those days as if it was only yesterday. . . Oh I wish she hasn't forgotten any of it too._

"Eli . . ." the sergeant cooed as she looked at the ceiling where the white sun lay, and smiled at how fast time went by for the best of friends.

 _Please be safe, wherever you are my talkative friend._

* * *

 **Corregidor, 1938.**

A maiden dressed in khaki peered out the window of a 4x4 truck, with sapphires which shimmered from sheer delight as it approached the fort's riveted doors. Her golden locks were neatly tied to a ponytail by a piece of velvet cloth, with some strands left to waft about her face that was as beautiful as an angel's own.

"So, this is where I'll start my career. . ." She mused, while the gates opened up in earnest to welcome them all.

Meanwhile, in the depths of a darkened room; a stagnant soul was still fast asleep, her dreamy visage distorted by a mess of her signature crimson hair. It seemed that she's capable enough of spending an entire day cooped up in her room, but everything was about to change when a barrage of furious knocks withered the orphan's hopes of getting a bit of well earned rest.

"Sarge! Wake up you damnit!" A man yelled on top of his lungs.

"Mhmmmm . . . Tell the mailman to just hang it there by the gate." The lady groggily responds as she turned to lie on her belly.

"This aint the mailman you idiot! You better wake up or Slade will have us assigned to toilet duty for an entire month!" Followed by yet another round of furious thuds which almost knocked the door from its hinges.

"Alright, alright! I'm up! Geez, what's with the rush?"

Irked by the ruckus caused by the man outside, Maki dangled a foot from her bed and rolled off; only to get a very rude awakening when she fell from the uppermost deck, and landed flat on its panelled floor with a smack. It happened so fast that the poor lass didn't even had a chance to scream, and all she felt was a searing headache and a sore left cheek.

 _Fuck . . . I should've remembered that I was sleeping on the second bunk._

"Nishikino? What the hell's happening in there?" He inquired, by which the sergeant hastily replied

"N-nothing . . ." as she picked herself up and limped towards the door.

 _Ugh, I definitely need to remember where I am sleeping next time or it could spell the death of me._

Taking a moment to catch her breath, Maki dusted herself up and opened it with a creak; only to find out that the man standing outside was their company sergeant, an old man going by the name of Bill.

"Oh, it's just you . . ." She jeered, and placed a hand on her cheek as the pain shot up like a bolt of lightning.

"Oh it's me alright." Bill deadpanned as his eyes narrowed to see what's up with Nishikino's forehead.

"So . . . Uhm, was there something you'd like to tell me old man?" the redhead then averted her gaze and pretended that everything's alright by flashing a very confident smirk. Seeing that his subordinate meant business, the old master sarge then raised his brows and told her of their CO's request.

"Major Slade would like to have your presence at his office . . ." and while he was at the middle of it all, Bill suddenly winked as he continued it with a joke.

" . . . And may had bought you a new pair of lingerie!"

"Ha, ha! Very funny you old fart!" She then wore a coat over the cotton tees, and briskly paced towards the officer's quarters.

* * *

"So, you must be our new junior officer . . . I didn't know we were hiring models here." A guy wearing a pair of bronze maple leaves on his collar with swept back hair and thin moustache remarked at the blonde who stood by the doorway. He then took the time to scan her papers that were neatly arranged in a folder and stole some malicious stares before taking a whiff off his cigar, and offering the lass a seat.

"Please, make yourself at home."

Taking the guy's offer, Eli made herself comfortable and looked around; with eyes glimmering in awe as she saw the Major's collection of statuettes made in the likeness of hula dancers.

 _I'll definitely save up my wages to buy a ticket for Hawaii!_

"Now," the officer then blew some smoke and tried to confirm some information he read on the blonde's typewritten bio.

"I find it appalling that you're surname sounds like that of a Nip, was your father Japanese or something?"

"No sir." She blandly replied.

"Interesting. . ." He wriggled his nose as he scanned at a leisurely pace.

"So what pushed you in choosing a career here in the military?"

"It was a childhood dream, sir."

Hearing this, the Major suddenly closed the folder gave her a very doubtful stare.

"Oh really?"

By which the junior officer enthusiastically responds "Yes sir!"

Hearing this, he pursed his lips and took a bottle of whiskey from the cabinet and a pair of shot glasses; while Eli adjusted her collar as sweat dripped by her brows.

"I hope that enthusiasm of yours won't be wiped off in battle someday. . ." He grumbled, then placed the pair on the table and poured some of the rustic liquor on a glass; while leaving the blonde's empty.

"I hope so too, sir." Eli then looked down and rested the hands on her lap.

"Do you drink by the way?" He then offered to pour some on hers, by which the blonde refused with a very prompt "I do not indulge in liquor, sir."

"Well, suit yourself Lieutenant."

And while Major Slade indulged at his dangerous vices, a gentle tap came from the door and Eli turned to stare at a silhouette drawn over the tempered glass.

 _Based on the hairstyle, it could be this lecherous man's secretary . . . Man, I sure do pity her for having a pig as her boss._

"Come in." He beckoned, and in came a sergeant with messy red hair and an icepack on her left cheek.

 _Goodness gracious, did he beat her for not giving in to his demands?!_

The lieutenant then took a very dank stare at her superior who was also surprised at the redhead's pitiful disposition.

"What in damnation happened to you?!"

"I . . . I just fell off my bed, sir." The sergeant vexed as she latched those bright pair of lilacs at the blonde who immediately diverted her gaze.

"Are you sure you're alright?" He then leaned in for a closer look; by which Maki took a pace back, crossed her arms and sternly regressed

"Yes, I am. Sir."

"Well if that's how you put it then . . ." The Major then turned his attention towards the new officer and duly introduced her to the Chinese orphan who seemed to be disinterested at making new friends.

"Nishikino, this is Lieutenant Eli Ayase. Your new company officer, and roommate!"

After which Eli immediately stood up and giddily reached out for a shake, a gesture which the pompous sergeant ignored as she asked the Major's permission to leave.

"Uhm sir, I'd be guiding her to our room. If you excuse us."

"Okay, you may leave."

She then picked Eli's duffle bag and slung it on her shoulder, while the Russian slowly withdrew the gesture and just smiled at her roommate.

"Follow me."

The orphan then left the premises to guide the young lieutenant to her quarters, but before she could take a step; Major Slade tapped on her shoulder and said:

"Please excuse the sergeant's attitude towards you. The truth is, a day before you arrived . . . she was very excited to know that someone's finally going to stay over her room."

"It's alright sir, I understand." She assured her senior who continued to show his fondness towards Maki.

"She may look stern, but trust me~ she's as soft as a tomato once you know her well!" He then gave a snort by which Eli retorts "Okay, okay . . . I get it now, sir!" before leaving as well.

"I can't believe that I have to go all this trouble just to find out that the old goat would introduce me to another officer!" The redhead griped as she made her way through the sidewalk which bordered the camp's oval track.

"Why? Do you have a grudge against yellow bars or something?" Old Bill asked the orphan who reasoned out:

"I could see in her eyes that she's going to be a real jerk!"

"Come on Maki, you can't just judge people because of that! She may look a bit uptight, but maybe that's because she's just a fresh grad from training school!"

"Easy for you to say, Bill." She grimaced, and stopped on her tracks as she remembered something from her past.

 _It is that same type of officer who caused the death of my mother._

"Just give her a chance will ya? Maybe in a year's time, she'll be a bit lax on her regulations. . . People change, ya know?"

"Fine then." She then turned to see if the blonde managed to follow her lead, but she was nowhere to be found.

"Hey Bill~"

"Yea?"

Maki just gave off a sigh, and forked the bag at her superior who wheezed from its sheer weight.

"You're going to find her, aren't you?"

"Of course! She could be tired from all that travel through rough terrain!" the redhead arrogantly exclaimed before darting off to find her newfound peer.

* * *

The clock steadily ticked towards the tenth hour; and Eli, both hungry and tired from her travels through Pampanga and Bataan, sat at a rock under a mango tree which overlooked the imposing gates of Malinta tunnel. She propped a hand under her chin and tried to feed her curiosity by guessing whatever lies behind its riveted doors.

 _I remembered my drill sergeants using this tunnel as a topic for their conversation, but even they themselves are clueless as to what lies beyond its rusted gates._

"Hmmm, maybe a bit of treasure from a pirate ship perhaps? Or a datu's long lost pair of pyjamas?"

The blonde then laughed at such silly assumptions and diverted her attention at the reflection cast upon her mother's wristwatch; a valuable heirloom which the girl worked hard for to return, long after her father pawned it for a bottle of whiskey.

Seeing the semblance she had with the deceased, Eli couldn't help but tear up for a bit and smile; as her eyes shimmered just like her mother's own in the day Alisa was born.

"I hope you're in a better place right now, mom. Please don't worry about us anymore, because I won't neglect him even if he has done so many wrongs when we were young."

A droplet landed on its polished face and distorted the angelic visage she had inherited from her beloved mom. Then a thought came to mind, as the Russian muttered her sister's name as if in a whim.

"Alisa. . ."

 _I hope she's alright, it's been a while since she wrote a letter to me._

"I pray that she'll also reach her dream of becoming a ballerina someday, and I would gladly file my leave just to watch her perform in red square."

And as she was in the middle of reminiscing, Eli saw a shadow looming at her feet; it was a very familiar one so to speak, and the lieutenant immediately recognized the pair of curls which gave that person a very unique profile indeed.

"You sure did take all that trouble just to find me."

Eli then faced the redhead who looked away and snarled, "Someone ordered me to give this to you, ma'am." while handing over a box of cookies with a milk carton taped on its lid.

"Oh my, thanks."

Unable to hide her glee, the lieutenant carefully freed the box of milk off its lid and shared the delicious treats with the seemingly reluctant host who preoccupied herself by twirling a lock of hair. The latter sensed the officer's gesture of goodwill, but she refused; with cheeks turned red.

"It's yours, don't mind me."

But the blonde saw through the sergeant's façade and cooed, "I can't eat all these cookies just by myself you know-" then raised those very delicate pair of brows to show that she was serious about it.

"Okay then." The redhead deadpanned, before picking one up.

Seconds ticked by as they took a bite and stared at the fort's meandering walls, as men carrying some buckets, rags, and cans of oil traversed at its sandstone steps. It was very much alive with soldiers walking at the palm lined sidewalks in a leisurely pace, while applicants formed by platoons at its majestic field; with some using their folders that did little to protect them from the sun's scorching rays.

"So this is what life in Corregidor looks like . . ." Eli then turned and gawked at the sergeant who cringed and squealed as she chewed.

 _Oh my, I guess I shouldn't have forced her to eat. . . But I got to admit, she sure did save me from fainting a while back._

Grateful and at the same time relaxed, she tore top off the milk carton and sipped at its refreshing sludge.

 _Milk in boxes is quite a rarity from where I came from, and only a peddler would come by the mountains once a month just to supply us with these. . . I just can't seem to understand why my neighbours would go at the length of selling a sack of grain to pay for an entire crate, while even the more common buffalo milk could even match its taste!_

Eli then snapped from her thoughts when she saw the recruits running through the oval for their agility exams, and remembered how fast days went by.

 _It's was just like yesterday when I reported to Fort Mc Lloyd in Capas, Tarlac. It was a very hot summer day just like this, and we were asked to run for ten laps under the sweltering heat. I have to admit that even though I grew up in the mountains and got used to the heat during harvest season, I almost dropped cold when the ninth lap was up . . . Man, time sure flies. For now, I had already earned my bars and much needed awards for promotion._

Curious at how the sergeant was doing, she took a glance just in time to see Maki coughing up some stray bits of chocolate chips.

 _Wow, I should've remembered that she fell off of her bed this morning. . .It must have been painful by the looks of it._

Taking the chance to gain the redhead's trust, Eli offered the leftover milk and mused "Here, have this to push it down."

By which the latter replied "Thanks, I needed that!" with a very hoarse voice and a pair of teary eyes. And with a slight turn of her head away from the officer, Maki immediately drank it all up without a single blink. Intrigued at the bashfulness shown by her subordinate, Eli drew a very wide grin and hid it under her sleeve; afraid that it may undermine her goal of winning over the Chinese orphan's heart, and a friend whom she could trust.

 _I could see that this weird girl can be trusted, even with my deepest of secrets._

"Are you feeling better now, Nishi . . . uhh, Nishinoodle?" She then leaned in and tapped her peer's back.

"It's . . . It's Nishikino!" The redhead bluntly retorted with a blush, while wiping off some spills off her chin with a sleeve. She then turned her gaze at the blonde and said "But please call me M-Maki, ma'am."

"Okay, it's settled then. Nice meeting you, Maki."

"The pleasure's mine, ma'am." the sergeant then tried to keep a straight face at her superior, without even knowing that Eli is an expert when it comes to reading body language and facial expressions; due to the fact that she's quite a well travelled kind of person, unlike Maki whose life revolved only around the confined areas of the supply department.

"Just call me Eli from now on."

With the sun almost at the very zenith of its ascent, Lt. Ayase stood up and flexed her arms for a bit and remarked "My, this new batch of recruits sure can handle the heat!"

"I agree, they'll make good soldiers someday. . ." She paused, by which the blonde leaned in and asked "Was there something you'd like to insert, Maki?"

Flustered at Eli's way of inquiry, the orphan avoided to stare at her bulbous chest and cooed, "Eli."

"Very good!" the blonde giddily exclaimed, then took the leisure of a few seconds to dust off.

 _My, she definitely reminds me of Alisa . . . Except that her features looks like it came from the Japanese or something._

"Say, Maki . . . Are you a halfbreed between a Jap and an Englishman?" The lieutenant pondered as she carefully unwound the velvet cloth in her hair.

"You almost got it right, except that I'm Chinese and my mom was English."

"Really? So you must be from Hong Kong?"

"Nope, Shanghai." Maki replied with a subtle flinch on her lips, a sign that the blonde noticed at the edge of her sight.

 _There's more to her than meets the eye . . . but I guess this'll be the moment where I should drop the conversation and reserve it for some other time._

Tying up some loose ends on the velvet strip, Eli then thought of a way where Maki could engage her on a healthy conversation by posting a statement that could definitely solicit some more questions; as the former was very fond of talking till her heart's content, in comparison to the redhead who could manage at being aloof all day long unless being talked to.

"Anyways, thanks for the snacks you gave a little while ago. It sure did help recuperate my wits after travelling all the way from my province during the cover of dawn."

"Where specifically, ma'am?" She pondered with a hint of anxiety in her tone.

"Come on Maki, haven't I told you that you should refer to me by my name?"

"S-sorry then, Eli." The redhead then diverted her gaze and twiddled a lock of hair in response.

"I came from Mountain Province, pretty far eh?" Eli picked up a glance at the orphan, and shrugged her shoulders. Taken aback by the officer's knack of talking too much, Maki tried to hatch a plan that could finally shut her up; for the time being that is.

"Excuse me for a bit Eli, but aren't you feeling a bit hungry from hanging out here for too long?"

"Why? I had just eaten some snacks . . ." the blonde cooed with a dab of disappointment, after which Maki led the way once more and left the officer no choice but to follow suit in a bid to solidify their newfound bond.

 _I could definitely sense your dislike a mile away. But I also have the feeling that we'll become the best of friends someday._

* * *

After a few minutes of transferring from one carriage to another, the two finally arrived at Manila's southern harbour; and were treated to a sight of utter disparity as it was filled by residents who were in the rush of escaping the air raids which may come any minute.

Clueless due to the fact that she had passed out the night before, Lt. Ayase leaned at Eun and asked, "Say, did something happened while I was passed out? Why is everyone like this all of a sudden?"

Kokoro just rolled her eyes and sighed like it was something that didn't need any sort of urgency on her part.

"The Japanese started to blow stuff up around here."

She then pointed at a pillar of smoke which billowed from the direction of Corregidor which lay west of the harbour.

"See that?"

The blonde followed suit and gawked at the sheer scale of it.

"Oh, my . . ."

"With that size, I'm betting that an ammunition dump blew up."

Dumbstruck at the thought of devastation caused by such a hit, her grip at Eun's arm tightened as fear started to overflow together with worries that her father would be harmed at the event these bombings started to disperse around rural areas; an assumption which she hoped should never happen at all.

 _I should write another letter for him! Darn it, I should've taken my leave and headed home!_

"Hey." The doll faced lass snarled at the Russian whose mind was already eaten up by a myriad of worries.

 _Oh no, what can I do? What can I do? Who would take care of him if those bombs start falling on my hometown?_

"Hey, blondie. . ."

 _What should I do? Should I ask Alisa to come home?_

But before she could worry some more, the teary eyed Kokoro bit her hand with such force that it flinched and released the girl from her iron hold.

"Huh?" Eli stared at her escort who wriggled and screamed from excruciating pain.

"I am not a toy that you could just squeeze at a whim!" She squealed, while holding onto her right arm that was hanging limp from being deprived of blood.

"Oh no, Eun~" the blonde reached out so she could at least ask forgiveness for what she's done, but Kokoro distanced herself and cried

"Get away from me!"

Hearing this line, Eli remembered her old self within Eun's petite and slender frame; a creature deprived of a mother's love, and filled to the core with insecurities and hate. But before she could speak once more with the unusual émigré, Eun was suddenly spirited away by the sea of people headed for the boats.

"Eli!" She cried with arms flailing as she went.

"Eun!"

Lt. Ayase scrambled to her rescue, but to no avail as the crowd grew with each passing second.

 _This kid, she's like a mirror image of who I was before . . ._

"Hold on, I'll come and get you! Just hold on!"

Realizing that she had made a very grave mistake, Eli tried to force her way through and took some blows as they pushed, punched, and gave an elbow jab just to reach the last boats home.

 _Eun, I'm coming for you!_

"Eun . . ." and with a final push, the blonde finally felt the tips of Eun's fingers; when suddenly out of the blue, a jab hit her cheek and knocked the Russian off her feet.

"No! Eliiiiiiii!" Kokoro squealed as she was dragged onto a ship bound somewhere in Luzon's coast.

And as she lay on the pier's cold cobblestone floor, Eli placed a hand on her chest and watched as people avoided her like an obstacle.

"E-eun . . . I'm so-orry."

Her sense of hearing then dissipated to a blur when whistles and sirens started to ring, with black blots flying past as her eyes drifted to a close.

 _What has this world come to?_

* * *

 **Epilogue:**

Daylight's bliss soon gave way to twilight's alluring veil in the scattered lands of the Pacific and the better half of the Soviet world, while on the other side of the grid; another day started to take its course on a nation that mourned the loss of its children from the empire's demonstration of sheer resolve.

The morning papers were almost filled to the brim with the names of those who fell, while the airwaves maintained a steady flow of static; on the ready for the announcement that was about to be broadcasted worldwide.

Then with quick tune up of a dial, it coursed back to life as a president ascended to the podium to deliver the words that would mend their differences and unite them for a common goal. Lights flickered in quick succession the moment he stood at congress' hallowed halls, with emotions running high as he took a pause in the midst of applause; and opened his speech with a calm, yet ironclad prose.

"To the congress of the United States . . ."

Everyone who at least had a radio frequency with that of the United States tuned in, including the members of Kotori's imperial guards who got hold of those that were once in possession of their British rivals.

"Yesterday, December the seventh, nineteen forty one- a date which will forever live in infamy as the United States of America was suddenly, and deliberately attacked by naval and air forces of the Empire of Japan."

A lone zero flew past the setting sun, with it's pilot; a young maiden with aquamarine orbs and orange locks watched as it descended into the depths of the Pacific.

 _Honoka, may the gods guide you at the peak of your journey . . . just as I am now starting to write my own story._

"The United states was at peace with that nation and, at the solicitation of Japan, was still in conversation with the government and its emperor looking toward the maintenance of peace in the Pacific."

People panicked as bombs fell around Manila's southern docks, with Eli still knocked out cold on the pavement littered with baggage, strips of cloth, and shoes. Sirens continued to howl with Corregidor's guns lobbing large calibre rounds at bombers that soared high above the clouds.

"It will be recorded that the distance of Hawaii from Japan makes it obvious that the attack was deliberately planned many days or even weeks ago. During the intervening time, their government has deliberately sought to deceive us all with false statements and expressions of hope for continued peace."

General Tojo sat in his office with a smug, but wiped it off as soon as he laid eyes on the picture of his daughter who was about to start her tour of duty.

"Yesterday, the empire also launched an attack against Malaya"

Imperial troops marched through a village deep within Malaya's territory, with fixed bayonets and flags hoisted by its lug. Villagers looked through the windows of their thatched homes; clueless as to what was really going on. Tanks soon followed suit, and a squadron of white bellied hayabusas raced towards the frontline.

"Last night, Japanese forces attacked Hong Kong."

A row of field guns started to roar when the last beam of light sunk in the horizon, followed by fervent cries of soldiers who moved into a city razed by incessant bombing and artillery strikes. Flares shot up as the skies became filled with anti aircraft fire which bloomed like flowers in the night.

"Last night, Japanese forces attacked Guam."

Everyone fell silent as they listened in to the leader's voice, with others taking all the trouble to translate just so the message could reach their uneducated neighbours who flocked in out of curiosity.

"Last night, Japanese forces attacked the Philippine islands."

Lilac eyes reflected the silhouettes of bombers reflected by the full moon; but unlike the night before, it wasn't soaked in tears for she had already found a ray of hope and a much larger cause to fight for.

 _I will fight for my second home till the very last. . ._

Meanwhile, Eli's father stared at the window of his humble abode; worried sick about the situation his daughters were in. With a piece of paper on his desk and pen in hand, he started to write as distant flashes came from the airfields of Clark field, Pampanga.

 _Elizabeth, Alice . . . I pray that these letters could reach you._

"Last night, the Japanese attacked Wake- and just this morning, Midway."

And after another brief buzz of static, the officers of IJN Nobunaga were ecstatic when they listened to the broadcast when Nico suddenly barged in with a bottle of whiskey. Seeing this, Umi just poured some sake to a saucer and pretended that she didn't see the despotic marine who mistook the officer's lounge for a latrine.

"I believe I interpret the will of Congress and the people when I assert that we will not only defend ourselves to the uttermost, but will make very certain that this form of treachery shall never endanger us again."

Cameras flashed from all around, with journalists having their eyes set at the man who was at knocking at the doors of history.

"Hostilities exist. There is no blinking from the fact that our people, our territory, and our interests are in grave danger."

He then took a pause once more to catch his breath, and spoke the final line that formally heralded the entry of the United States and the start of the Second World War.

"With confidence on our armed forces- with the unbound determination of our people; we will gain the inevitable triumph, so help us God."

A moment of silence ensued as he exited the limelight with head held high, and when he planted his feet firmly on the floor; the crowd bursts into a wild applause which resonated throughout its halls and galvanized the nation's will.

* * *

The gentle hum of static echoed through the halls of a hangar found in the heart of a winter wonderland. Housed within its cast iron shell was a whitewashed fighter that bore a red star at the middle of its cockpit and tail end, with the blue number "5" etched right next to it. It was armed with a single 20mm gun that had its barrel sticking out of its propeller's nosecone, and a .50 cal Berezina at its left cowling just above the engine where the cannon sat.

"It's beautiful . . ." A little girl wearing a fur cap and dull brown drab mused as she reached out to touch the red swirls painted at its nosecone. Her cerulean eyes gleamed as her breath fogged up its polished finish, with heart racing with excitement as graduation day draws near.

"Ayase!" An old man called out, and stood right next to the gal who failed to recognize his presence as her attention was with the brand new model of soviet machinery that was about to make a debut on the frontlines.

"Ahh, marvelling the Yakovlev 1b I see."

"M-maestro?!" Alisa fidgeted as she finally noticed the flight instructor standing nearby.

"No need to panic" He assured his best student with a pat, "I could see you flying this someday."

"But . . ." She sheepishly responds as doubts surfaced if it could finally match its common foe.

"Hmm?"

"Could it even match the 109's?"

"We'll see . . . We'll see." The flight instructor then left the scene, with Alisa taking a final glimpse at the aircraft before heading out towards a beam of light which lay beyond its doors.

 _My dear sister, I am sorry that I didn't heed your advice to continue with my studies in Moscow. Dreams can wait while duty cannot, as our world is heading for yet another world war._

* * *

Some more notes:  
Uhm, I have to cut some parts on his speech and altered some words there. . . I apologize for it. and of course, credits to the one who made the speech in the first place.

I managed to buy a keychain depicting Maki Nishikino wearing bokura kimi to no live's costume; and I'm planning to hang it on my rucksack someday.


	12. Silence of the Lambs

AN: Pray for Marawi, and the world.

 **End of Act 2- Flowers of War**

 **Chapter 12: Silence of the Lambs**

 _You can never run from who you are, no matter how hard you try._

A pair of orbs tinged with a veil of the deepest red panned through a skyline filled with swabs of darkened clouds, glistening with sheer delight as she leaned by the ship's rusted rails; with arms cradling a helm filled to the brim with her much loved treat of lemons and bottles of rye .

Taking joy from such a familiar sight, the corporal didn't waste another minute and opened her jaws to devour the fist sized fruit like a snake on its hapless prey; it was a gruesome sight to behold, as it revealed a cheek that could be stretched at whim and held in place by a stitch of the finest nylon. Satisfied and at the same time amused by the ability bestowed by the scientist who gave her another shot at life, the young Japanese marine flashed a dubious smirk before gobbling the entire batch.

She was an enigma amongst her comrades, a flower which displayed its petals under the moonlight for the eyes of men to squander about in lust; only to be devoured by the demon lurking beneath those supple pair of lips, and alluring crimson orbs.

Nobody knew exactly show this fated lass came to be, as rumours abound among her peers that she was a child born from an unlawful wedlock between the empress and her consort; who was then robbed of an identity, and a home after the emperor knew of her treachery. It was a different story though if viewed from the Army's perspective, which saw her only as a mere orphan whose parents were killed during the border clashes that rocked the past decade. But there's one thing these rival factions could not deny, and that was the fact that the mere presence of this monster whom they called "Akame" sowed fear amongst their enemy's ranks.

Known by many names, she is characterized by her adversaries as remorseless and savage; a wandering ghost who will appear in the dead of night, only to satiate its fill of slaughter and gore. Those who were lucky enough to lay eyes on her and survive were either plagued with nightmares or left insane for the rest of their lives, while those who were slain in battle were found mangled and mutilated to an extent that it left a lasting image in the back of their comrade's minds. She is the living testament of man's attempt to play god, a creature deprived of the warmth which love bestowed; and an empty shell of a little girl who once dreamed to be a star.

With a pair of accursed rubies set at the half eaten lime which rested on her callous palm, Nico took a pause to think as the dreary skies flashed and rumbled with thunderous resolve. It didn't take long before the clouds gave way to rain, a little gift from the heavens that brought a bit of comfort to this warrior's weary soul.

"My soul is already beyond the reach of redemption. But for the sake of finding justice to my fallen kin, I will be willing to sacrifice the chance to reunite with them in the afterlife."

And in the blink of an eye, the subtle showers suddenly became an outpour which sent sailors scurrying below decks; leaving the little girl to bask in all its glory and reminisce about her shattered past.

 _Onee- chan won't be seeing you guys in heaven, but I promise to take her with me to hell._

Water cascaded by the lines of her demented guise, making its way through the seemingly subtle folds of her jaw which resembled a grin that reached towards the lobe of her ears; the last thing her victims saw right before they perished under her sadistic whim.

But there was an incident that drastically changed the corporal's outlook in life, one that weathered her zeal towards murder and checked the demon that controlled her will. In exchange, she drifted deeper into alcoholism as Akame tries to whittle her resolve with pain; and once those bottles run out of its despotic contents, her wicked persona may return to finish where she had left.

 _There was someone in that city that opened my eyes to a world far better than what I had known, and I can't wait to see her beloved child. . ._

She then popped a bottle of whiskey and smiled,

"I wonder if Maki grew to be a fine lass like her mother?"

* * *

 _ **Shanghai, 1937**_

In the heart of a desolate city, a child trudged through the remains of those she fell. Her uniform filled with bleak splatters of red, and knee wraps drenched into a shade of the deepest green. Ruby orbs gleamed with scorn as faint beams of moonlight struck its guise, paired with a grin that glistened with sheer delight.

The horrid sound of metal echoed through the ruins as she dragged a rusted _dao_ , a favoured weapon of her adversaries whose armies were already in the brink of defeat. The foul stench of ruptured guts and cold sweat filled the air with its morbid scent, while their mangled remains were strewn about like reed washed ashore by a vicious storm.

Minutes before, an entire company was on its way to reinforce what little remained of their defenders from the empire's counterattack; but now, all that's left were two warriors who were able to survive Yazawa's merciless onslaught till then. They stood with rifles pointed at the soulless heap of flesh, determined to put a stop on its remorseless pursuit of slaughter and never ending bloodlust. Amused by the sheer bravery these two had shown, Nico took a moment to lick the blade clean of their comrade's flesh and said

"My, my . . . How lovely! Someone actually stayed to play with me!"

Unafraid of the fate they may suffer in the hands of this sadistic imperial scourge, one of them aimed at her forehead and replied

"It's about time we settle the score and make you pay for all the innocent souls you killed!"

With that heard, she lowered her guard and looked at the moon that shone through the thick cloud of smoke and poison gas. Meanwhile, the other soldier braced himself for a melee showdown to buy some time for his friend to take a well aimed shot at their adversary's perceived weakness: Her head.

"Ahh . . . It's a shame that only one of us could walk away unharmed. . ." Nico then returned her lustful glare at them and scowled "And it's definitely not either of you!" as she dashed and made a quick swipe at her opponent who immediately shielded the blow with the rifle.

"Hurry! Aim for her head!" He screamed as his arms buckled from the sheer weight of its blade, causing him to sway for a bit with a muffled wheeze.

Taking the cover given by his peer, the soldier stepped back and fired; barely missing the demon's left ear by an inch.

"Is that all you guys can do?!" She stopped the swipe halfway through and flipped it for another strike against her hapless adversary. And in an instant, the rifle snapped like a twig; by which Nico spun and gave him a swift roundhouse to the waist. His bones cracked as the back of her marchers dug in, screaming in bitter agony which sent the grunt in a lustful frenzy.

"Now that's more like it! I really love it when someone sings for me!"

Another shot rang out, followed by quaint footsteps as the shooter manoeuvred in hopes of finding a good spot to fire from. It pierced clean through her neck, and sent coagulated spatters by its right hand side. Seeing the darkened blots which marred the cobblestone pavement, the man realized that the rumours were true; for coagulated blood is a sure sign that the person in question was already long gone. But it's already too late to neither speak out nor scream, because as he was about to expend the fuming cartridge from its hold; his eyes caught a glimpse of moonlight reflected by the rusted _dao_.

"Lai giri." She whispered, and it didn't take long for him to quiver and fall, as his head was cut clean by a swift strike. Yazawa's sable strands wafted as she dashed right through, and dust filled her dreaded visage as she reached the very end of its reach; a mere five metres from the freshly slain.

Left to tend for himself, the condemned picked a spear from a conscript's cold hand and supported himself to make one last stand; knowing all too well that his fate is sealed, and cause forever lost. All around him, his world crumbled from the might of an army bent under the whim of their emperor; with their jubilant cries of "tenno heika, banzai!" sending shivers down his spine.

"You . . ." He mumbled, "I don't care anymore if I won't leave this place alive . . ." the man then pointed its serrated edge at the raven that had just stood up to deal with him once and for all.

"But as long as there is life surging through me . . . I will do anything to take you down and wipe that smirk off your face!"

"Oh really now?" Nico sneered as she slung the blade on her shoulder. Then without warning, he lunged in and gave a quick thrust, but the former was very agile and dodged without a sweat. And before he could withdraw for another jab at the nimble adversary, he was already face to face with the murderer whose blade was already in place to slit his throat. With his luck finally exhausted, and fate sealed; the man defiantly stared back at the glaring pair of rubies and dared:

"Do it."

And with a gentle swipe of its rusted edge, the forlorn soul knelt to bleed for his untimely demise; while Private Yazawa looked at the faint rays of moonlight which seeped through a thick cloud of smoke and dust.

"Are you happy now?" She deadpanned at the alter ego who resides within her soul. Sensing that there was nothing left to do, the lass sat down and at her pocket for a cookie. Meanwhile, the man coughed his last and perished; after which Nico gave him a favour of closing his eyes, before taking a nibble at her beloved treat.

"It sure is silent when all of my playmates are dead."

Then a drop of rain landed in her forehead, followed by a gentle outpour which washed every bit of bile into the sewer slits nearby. The sounds of war perished as soon as the rain started to fall, while poisonous smoke cleared up for a bit to reveal an opening on a gloomy cloud.

"The moon still shines bright even if the world below is lifeless and dark." The raven then turned her gaze at the half eaten cookie that was already soaked in rainwater and on the verge of being chipped by piece.

 _I could definitely relate to this confectionery's fate . . . for one day, my sanity will be washed off by my wish to find revenge._

"I remember now . . ." She cooed while a large part of her treat fell into the blood drenched pavement. Taking a glimpse at her last adversary who lay in a pool of bile, the marine smiled after she saw her reflection within its morbid canvas.

 _For them, dying is something that should be discussed behind closed doors; but for me, it was a promotion and a chance to continue where my story ended._

It didn't take long before teardrops started to fall together with the sky's purest drops, for Nico remembered her siblings who suffered such senseless demise all in the name of science.

"If all of you are watching right now . . ."

Ripples distorted the lass' visage as faint flashes of thunder illuminated a street filled with limp and mutilated remains.

"I am sorry, but big sister isn't going to heaven with you guys anymore."

 _I miss them so bad . . . I really do. But was it really worth making a deal with the devil just so I could get back at the person who took them away from me?_

Then in the corner of her eye, a shadow loomed right behind. Recognizing the tinge of amber set upon its face, Nico immediately wiped her tears off with a palm and tried to act tough in the midst of despair.

 _Oh great, it's that dim-witted officer of mine._

"What are you doing here?" She turned to face the figure who wore a raincoat that matched its green drab.

"Checking up on you." Umi replied in earnest as she opened an umbrella for her. Annoyed by Sonoda's simple gesture of friendship, the private looked away and snarled

"Get lost."

But much to her chagrin, the lieutenant leaned in to assert her offer of a moment's reprieve.

"Come on now, I know you're the one who stole my raincoat once."

"Fuck off! You don't have any evidence to support it!" She vexed and crossed arms to express her disgust towards the bluenet.

"Sato and the rest of your gang told me." Sonoda parried with a chuckle. Unable to hide her guilt any longer, she growled and looked away; an act which prompted the former to sit it out and spend some time together with the empire's most able trooper. But before Umi could bend her knees to find a suitable position to settle down, her right boot slid and sent her crashing on the pavement which splashed a lot of water onto the raven who was almost on the verge of fuming out in rage.

"Whoopsie!" the bluenet cackled as she turned to look at the private who then gave her the death glare.

"Gee, I'm sorry!" She flashed a peace sign in earnest, but it did nothing to quell her subordinate's anger.

"Why you stupid piece of . . ." Nico was about to clench her fist when a flash of thunder gave an illusory image of Kokoa in place of the clumsy superior.

 _What the?_

It was gone in an instant, but it whittled down the latter's aggression and saved Umi from a world of hurt.

 _I know my mind is playing tricks on me._

Yazawa stood up and let out a sigh, as she decided to let her superior off the hook. Surprised and at the same time relieved by the change of heart, Sonoda followed suit and asked

"What's the matter?"

By which the little girl stared at her reflection and replied with a very frail tone.

"I'll scout ahead."

Concerned by Nico's well being, Umi offered to wait for a while longer in order to regroup with the rest.

"Nico, you've already done enough for today."

"No."

"Please rest for now and wait until Sato could rendezvous with us from their mop up operation."

But the lass had already made up her mind and bent to pick the rusted blade.

"Nico . . ." She pleaded once more, but the raven dragged the lumbering piece of metal and walked away.

Saddened by the latter's stubborn resolve, Lt. Sonoda latched a grip on her shoulder; but was met with a dead stare paired with a very bland voice.

"I'll be back in the morning. Please leave me be."

With that said, she lets go of her and watched as Nico disappeared into the shadows of Shanghai's once bustling boulevard.

Disheartened by the image of her fallen kin; the little demon walked by the ruins of shops that had once held the most lucrative of goods, whether it was wine, jewelleries, or the promise of fine dining.

Her ears were filled with the nauseous patter of raindrops which tapped against her helm, while her eyes blurred as tears moved in to comfort her weary soul.

 _If only I was stronger back then. . . They would've picked me instead of them._

Broken glass littered the streets, and spent cartridges rolled about as it was washed towards the gutters which lined the sidewalks. She may never feel pain in the flesh, but her heart felt like it was being torn apart by the memories which gushed like a stream. Their voices echoed within the depths of her demented mind, while images of their remains draped with a blanket of purest white flashed together with the fervid rolls of thunder.

"Onee-chan . . ." Kokoa called out, but all Nico saw was an operating table where splatters of blood were to be found. The vision disappeared as soon as the flash died out, yet it felt so real for the raven who reeled from the torment of losing everyone she held so dearly. Her legs buckled from it all, and with every faint glimmer of light rushing through her sight; it became clear that it was all her fault as to why they all perished from a gruesome fate within Harbin's walls.

"Nico, you weakling . . ." She cussed, "They would've been alive right now if you were stronger . . ." mumbling like a madman without even realizing that she's already headed straight towards the newly drawn Nationalist lines.

"All of them . . . dead. All of them suffered because of me."

The Japanese marine then ventured into the ruins of an apartment complex, where her eyes caught glimpse of a group of grey clad men who were just about to snuff the fire with a wet rag. Seeing the characteristic khaki drab and netted helm of an IJN lander, they immediately reached for their weapons that were arranged in a pile nearby. But before either of them could pick one up and deal with the unexpected guest, the demented grunt took the chance to pick them off one by one; starting with their officer who was about to aim his mauser C96.

She ran towards him with blade trailed close behind, which kicked a thick screen of dirt on its wake. And in the moment he realized his mistake, Nico had already passed with a dastardly grin set upon her supple lips.

He then looked down and saw half of his belly cut up, causing him to pale from sheer fright. But Akame wasn't contented with his fate just yet, and kicked him into the campfire to douse the flames with his guts. The man screamed in agony as he sizzled and fizzed, while the dim light flickered up until the unfortunate succumbed to his demise.

Now it was dark, with only the distant flashes of thunder illuminating the figure of a little girl that wielded a broadsword paired with eyes which gleamed from sheer delight.

"Now, now . . . there's no need to be afraid. I had just done you guys a favour of brightening up the mood in this godforsaken place." She reassured them with a chuckle. Everyone else froze from the jaws of terror when they remembered the rumours about a soldier who took great pleasure on the art of murder.

"B-be v-vigilant!" A sergeant muttered at his men who were scattered throughout the complex. They were blind like rats trapped within a wooden box, with all hopes placed upon the bleak instance of light which seeped by its windows and cracks.

Little did they know that Nico walked within their midst, eager to choose a victim upon her behest.

"Hong, Jiyuen . . . Where are you guys?" A young conscript situated right in the middle of their loose formation hollered out, with rifle on the ready to fire at the slightest sign of the rumoured Jiang shi.

"Shut up! Are you trying to get us all killed?!" an old man yelled at the inexperienced grunt.

"Yuan? Is that you? It's me, Hong!" One of the soldiers replied in earnest, but all of them fell silent after they heard the gruesome sound of someone's muffled moan.

A quick shimmer revealed that the demon had already begun to pick them off; starting with the old man who walked around with a slit throat. It was done in a second, and they all shivered in cold sweat as the place was plunged once more into the blanket of night.

"I was just getting started~" Nico hummed a tune which caused all of them to shoot at wanton with hopes to live for another day. The apartment ruins were very much alive with ochre sparks paired with the unmistakable howl of mausers, and nearby platoons are already on their way to see what was going on within its shady premises.

With all five rounds expended and strength exhausted from its frenzied plight, some of them reached for their bayonets and prepared to face the devil in melee; while others took their time and reloaded with a fresh clip.

Seconds ticked by and everybody was on edge, and when the time came for a flash to illuminate for another split second; some of those up front caught glimpse of a shadow that loomed close behind, while those who faced the unlucky conscript at the very centre saw him quiver in cold sweat as Nico rested an arm on his shoulder, with the blade's clipped edge on the ready to pierce his waist.

"Boo." She whispered with a smirk, and when everything faded to a blur; a blood curdling scream echoed throughout the entire complex which sent the remainder to lose their bearings and run for their lives. As the boy convulsed at her feet, the sadistic grunt simply pulled it off and left him to die in bitter anguish.

"I didn't know you guys love to play tag."

Yazawa returned to savour the thrill of the hunt, and zigzagged her way through the hall with eyes that shone from what little light seeped through; while the men lost all sense of hope and fired in quick succession, their bolts almost at the brink of breakage from being pulled out of disparity.

"Let fear be your ticket to eternity!"

A burst of maniacal laughter came from the black haired dervish, and in an instant; a trio of unfortunate souls had their waist torn by a reckless swing. More shots were delivered in scattered intervals, as terror gripped those who remained. Nico had already sustained hits on her torso but never flinched; with resolve fuelled by bloodlust and hatred against the Nationalists whom she thought to be responsible for the deaths of her dearly beloved.

 _Kokoro, Kokoa, Kotarou . . . If I die tonight, I promise to take as much of them to hell!_

Spatters of coagulated blood scattered on her wake, while bullets whizzed past her face with streaks of orange and white. And with each wound she bore on such a petite and fragile frame, the little girl felt her sanity was being torn and pushed to the threshold of becoming a full blown berserker.

 _I pray that I will still remain as the little girl Umi and the rest of my gang knew, for there is no guarantee that my will can win over my persona's fury._

She screamed as the surge of pain rushed through her veins, a subtle side effect caused by the vile concoction injected into her within Harbin's walls. It served to put a temporary end to all emotions except for bliss; and in turn, further fan the flames of hatred and spite which were considered well suited for the task specified by Colonel Tojo.

"Aim for the head!" A sergeant screamed as he reloaded his rifle with haste. The grunts in front of him tried to enact his wish, but before they could lift their guns for a well aimed shot; the raven had already gained momentum and leaped with sword laid back for a devastating strike.

"Get out of my fucking way!" And in the blink of an eye; all four grunts were mowed like forlorn blades of grass. Her voice was already coarse and had a slight increase in depth, while the outline of her malicious grin plunged them further into terror's immovable grip.

"Help! Anyone?! Please save us!" some of them cried out close behind, while the sergeant was left to face Akame who snickered with sheer delight. He drew a dao from a fallen grunt and stared at the devil whose eyes brought scorn at everything righteous, and pure.

"Everyone, listen to me!" He yelped, "Feed every last bullet you have and prepare for the fight of your lives! Just give it your all, and we can reunite with our families!"

The young conscripts fell silent after hearing the old man's words and looked at each other with doubtful glares, demoralized at the sight of their comrade's scattered remains behind the sentient corpse. But nonetheless, they did as they were told; and paced forth with a trickle of hope to land a lucky hit on the little girl's perceived weakness.

Adamant that he could end the myth of the hungry ghost, the man pointed the blade at her and said, "This ends here, Jiang shi."

"Let's go then." Nico replied before a flash of thunder illuminated her blood drenched guise that retained its lustful grin.

A crack of lightning arced through Shanghai's ravaged skyline, heralding an end to an outpour which cleansed the earth of its crimson bile. The moon finally pierced through the darkest of clouds and revealed a hall filled with husks and the tranquil sound of silence.

A soldier finally broke through the ruins with a red flare in hand, determined to investigate what happened beforehand; while his comrades followed close behind, with bayonets glaring underneath the moon's faded light. And all they saw were the scattered remains of their peers, and a lone survivor kneeling with a hundred yard stare. He proceeded with caution and leaned for a closer look, only to see his lips quivering with some inaudible phrases that were expelled like a twisted mantra.

"Jiang . . . Shi. . ."

Thinking that the assailant had already left after the storm has passed, he looked at his comrades to evacuate this crazed man and give the others a well deserved funeral. But when they lifted him by the shoulder, a thread of nylon snapped; and with a quick swipe of the flare, his pupils shrunk when he saw a myriad of it strung up on his limbs and back.

"Everybody out!" The soldier yelled on top of his lungs, and was about to leave when he stumbled on a web of tripwires which sent some bundled stick grenades to fizzle its eight second fuse. Others also lost footing from the confusion that ensued, then realized that all the corpses were booby trapped by whoever was responsible for such remorseless slaughter. A violent chain of explosions then rocked the ruins off its hinges, causing it to collapse and bury those who were lucky enough to survive the initial blast. As it turned out, Nico had encountered a platoon of sappers who were supposed to be on their way to destroy a bridge with satchels and sticks of dynamite.

* * *

At a distance, the raven sat atop a cathedral's towering spire; leaning against its cross with a stick of cigarette, and a flask of whiskey. Her body was peppered with holes, but nonetheless; all she did was take a sip, and spout some smoke rings to pass the time.

 _It'll heal in a couple of weeks . . . No worries._

Blots of coagulated blood tainted her back with an unearthly hue of black, and it's a wonder that no one was lucky enough to hit her heart that may had yielded a different result.

"When would this struggle be over? It's been dragging for way too long now." She remarked as her eyes were focused on a nearby three story apartment where the Japanese flag waved with all its grandeur, and a textile mill a few blocks away that still has the white sun, blue sky, and red earth flag defiantly draped on its limestone wall.

"Zhabei sure is one tough nut to crack."

The raven felt tired from a day's worth of murders and prepared to lie down on its moss ridden roof.

"But I guess it's time for me to take a break and savour this little victory of mine for now."

And with a heartfelt yawn and harried blinks, Nico decided to call it a day and closed her eyes for a goodnight's rest.

 _I wonder what tomorrow would bring for a condemned soul like me?_

But while she was in the middle of pondering such trivial matters, the soothing sound of a piano broke through the usual ensemble of guns, curses, screams, and whistling bombs.

 _Whuh?_

She immediately sprung back to life and searched for the source of it all, as it was a tune that was quite a novelty for the ears of this seasonedlittle runt.

 _Where the hell is that sound coming from?_

Her heart's furious beats were calmed by its alluring lullaby, paired with a mind cleared of worries and impure thoughts.

 _Of all the places in this world, why here? Why in the middle of a city that reeks of death and decay?_

Her initial search yielded disappointing results as the surrounding area was nothing more than a panorama of ruins and smoke. Curious as to whoever was responsible for such graceful melody, Nico strapped the trusty dao to her back and clambered down its steeple to reach the window where its bell resides.

 _I must see who has the guts to play something that nice in the middle of a warzone._

She descended without a care in the world, determined to see what sort of lunatic would play a tune while the world around them crumbled like a deck of cards. Acolytes were shocked to see a bloodied Japanese soldier pass right through, and could do nothing more than give way or face the consequence of blocking her path.

 _That sound, it had been a while since I've heard something like that . . . the last time I remember, I was still a normal little girl listening from the window of a rich man's home._

Refugees who were in the middle of a mass were aghast when Nico slid through the bell's hemp and walked out unscathed, but when they saw the grievous wounds; they quaked at the realization that the stories from the frontlines were true, evidenced at the appearance of an eccentric visitor who pushed its massive doors and disappeared into the night.

She found herself once more on the streets of Zhabei, passing through some hastily knitted barricades and sandbags abandoned by the NRA when they withdrew further into the district's eastern fringe. Looters ran wild after the dissolution of law and order; while newspapers flew about as a gust of cold wind approached her from behind. The ambience of chaos amplified by broken glass didn't dissolve this little girl's whim, as she wilfully followed the faint echoes of keys and strings through the place where she may meet her end.

The district was very well known by her comrades as the marksman's alley, yet Nico didn't practice any sort of precaution; and trudged right through with a drab that could easily give away her side on the conflict at hand. And alas, a lot of them already had her in their sights; but decided not to when they recognized the sable locks which billowed under the rim of her helm. Instead, they returned to lurk in the shadows to lie in wait for the empire's main forces to arrive. Line troops were also aware of her presence within their territory, but opted not to waste any more lives against a little girl who possessed an unquenchable thirst for mayhem and blood.

Minutes passed and the lone grunt finally reached a tributary that separated the ravaged west side from the rest of Zhabei. At its bank, bunkers stood guard with machineguns bristled at its slit; while soldiers conducted patrols behind a wall of barbed wire under the watchful eyes of searchlights and snipers nestled on dimly lit buildings nearby. The only way in is an iron bridge wide enough for a tank to pass through, so Nico has to find a way to evade the guards who manned its lone checkpoint.

 _Hmmm . . ._

She immediately dodged into a heap of garbage by the roadside as soon as a searchlight skimmed by, and stayed to observe anything that could solve her newfound dilemma. It didn't take long before she heard the unmistakable sound of engines which came from the direction of the frontlines, and Nico was able to hatch an idea when she saw a truck loaded with coffins pass by.

 _That's it!_

Nico emerged from the pile of filth and ran back to spot for a suitable spot to sneak into its carriage without being spotted from the opposite bank. But as she poked her head from the corner of a wall, she came face to face with a grey haired soldier who wore a wreathed star on its helm.

"What the?" Nico inquired, "What's a guardsman doing here? Aren't you supposed to advance towards Suzhou?" She then came over to check the rank this one possessed. The guardsman didn't respond to her question at all, and Nico saw her collar tab that had a pair of silver stars horizontally crossed by two red strips on a yellow background.

 _Rikugun Shoi._ (Army Captain)

The raven then narrowed her eyes as she diverted her attention towards the weapon slung by its shoulder, a modified Type 38 Arisaka fitted with a scope.

 _I once heard that the Army considered to modify the existing type 38's with scopes then designate it as the type 97 sniper rifle . . . And I couldn't believe that I could actually see one with my very own eyes!_

"Impressive," She mused, and latched those pair of rubies against the officer's amber orbs.

 _Wait a minute, I remember this creep. . ._

The raven then lifted the sniper's helm for a bit and saw those tapered silver bangs which made her conclude:

 _Oh great, it's that academy dork's friend who has an annoying voice._

"Y-you can stop examining me now." Kotori vexed, which caused Nico to cringe from the pitch which went through her ear.

 _My god! I'd rather listen to Umi talking nonsense all day than staying with you for a second!_

The taupe narrowed her brows when the imp stepped back and stuck a middle finger on her right ear, a gesture which felt like an insult being lobbed at her voice.

"Is there something wrong, private?" the captain crossed her arms with a disgusted stare.

"Oh nothing, tweety . . ." Nico replied, before she placed a wry when her hearing finally reverted to its usual state.

"What did you just . . ." Minami was about to scold her when the marine suddenly dragged the lass into the other side as a pair of lights appeared from afar.

"Shhh. . . let's just talk about your annoying voice later." She hushed the furious guardsman, and peeked at the column of trucks that carried casualties back from the front. And when the last one finally passed, Nico returned her attention towards the official and asked what brought her here in the first place.

"Say, what are you doing here?"

By which Kotori cooed, "I came to rescue a friend of mine."

Hearing this, Yazawa raised her brows and questioned the officer's intent and the reliability of it.

"How can you be so sure that your friend is being kept on the opposite bank of this stream? Are you sure that he or she isn't dead in the front from whence you came?"

"Honoka isn't dead!" She spat, and paused after the latter realized that her emotion filled snarl took a toll of her judgement.

"Honoka?" Nico thought for a bit and remembered that she was their topic when the guards paid them a visit.

"Yes, Honoka." Kotori sheepishly glanced at her and asked, "So you must be Sonoda's marine, am I correct?"

"I certainly am!" She then puffed her chest out of pride.

"Well, what brings you here anyway?" the captain's pupils then shrunk at the thought that Umi may be in danger as well.

"D-don't tell me that she was also captured by them?!"

"No, silly." The raven then giggled for a bit and mused, "She may be a moron, but not that stupid to be captured by just anybody!"

"Uhh . . . Yeah, she's quite a smarty pants when we were at the academy." Kotori looked away from embarrassment.

Nico then sat at a nearby pile of rubble and lit a cigarette.

"And so we will wait for another caravan to carry us into the other part of town!"

"That wouldn't be a problem anymore." Minami then took her rucksack and pulled out a pair of grey winter uniforms, complete with strips of matching puttees to wrap on their knees.

"I was supposed to meet up with a spotter here, but it seems he is nowhere to be found."

"Wow, you snipers sure are something." Nico took the leisure of picking one for herself, then stripped her bloodstained uniform to make way for the NRA's stiff collared zhongshan suit and straight trousers. Meanhile, Kotori just slipped a dull grey overcoat on her standard tan and removed the black leather gaiters so she could tie the puttees over her ankle boots.

Pleased by the new look she had acquired, Yazawa then wore its matching cap complete with the white sun in blue embroidered on its face. The captain on the other hand, hid her helmet on the rubble nearby and replaced it with a summer variant of the NRA's field cap.

"So, guardsman . . . are we all set?"

"Not yet." Minami responded with a wink. "If you don't want to wear those puttees, I'd have it serve as a camouflage for my rifle."

"Sure." The raven gave the dull grey wraps and to strapped the trusty blade on her back.

With all the preparations set, Nico took on the role of a regular infantryman armed with a broadsword; while the captain masqueraded as a wounded marksman complete with a stained tourniquet on her left arm. But before they could turn themselves to the checkpoint beyond, Nico had observed that a subtle scent of decay came from the pits of sleeves.

"Uhm tweety, where in the world did you get this suit?" She asked the taupe who was preoccupied with hiding the rucksack in a corner.

"There's no time for that! Let us go before they do something to Honoka!"

Then the two left the ruins and headed for the bridge nearby, where a Chinese corporal immediately challenged their prescence the moment they set foot upon its panel.

"Identify yourselves or we will shoot!"

By which Kotori lifted a forged dispatch that bore the signet of Colonel Bao, the commander of all units situated on the banks of the Huangpu. A private moved in and pried the papers off her hand, then inspected it for a minute until his face lightened up with a lifted palm to signal their entry into Zhabei's safe zone. Relieved at the ease of access made by a piece of paper, Minami leaned at the raven and whispered

"That was easy."

Then one of the guards noticed something was amiss with Nico's leg wraps and hobnailed boots, and blocked her path before she had cleared the checkpoint entirely. Meanwhile, Kotori was already a few steps ahead; and looked on with horror as he gently poked her partner's leg with a bayonet.

"Wow, are these the puttees issued to the Huangpu defence force? If I could remember correctly, only Japanese Marines get to have these as a standard!"

Soon, the others crowded to inspect the little girl who has a hand hidden in the left waist pocket where a grenade was kept; on the ready send these men to kingdom come once everything went south.

"That's odd, even these hobnailed boots aren't even issued to us at all!" Another one remarked, and stepped on its tan skin with disgust set on his face.

But before they could do anything with their peculiar guest, Kotori moved in and explained to them the current situation of the Huangpu garrison; which in reality, was smashed just a few hours ago by the Imperial Guard division she belonged to. She pushed them aside then stole a glance at the private who just looked away and spat on the ground; a clear sign that single misstep on her explanation could put them all in grave danger.

"We are already running out of supplies, so we have to make do with whatever enemy provisions we could find. As you can see, this soldier . . ." the brunette tapped on her shoulder and continued, "Did what she could to keep the cause alive and well! You should be proud that someone still has the will to carry on even if everything around them crumbled like a house of cards!"

Captain Minami then held onto Nico's arm and was about to drag her off by force when the officer in charge; a lieutenant, exited the makeshift office situated right next to the guardhouse and snarled,

"What the hell is the matter here? Can't you guys even realize that they're in a hurry to ask for reinforcements?!"

"Sorry, sir." the sergeant sighed, and beckoned for the guards to yield and let them pass.

"Thank you, lieutenant." The pretentious NRA captain mused, and the two finally made their way to the road which led them directly into the sunny side of Shanghai.

"Well said for a high pitched squealer like you." The little demon jeered. Annoyed by the way Nico remarked at her tone, Kotori just giggled like there was nothing wrong and murmured:

"I could tell that Umi's got a walking salt shaker in her ranks."

They made their way through a block full of dimly lit apartment buildings where snipers did patrols on its roof, and Nico couldn't help but wonder about this Honoka person whom Umi so fondly propped as a topic whenever the latter barged into the tent and disrupt her moment of rest.

"So, tweety . . ."

"It's Kotori." the officer immediately retorted, and stopped on her tracks to face the mischievous grunt. "If you can't even stomach the idea of calling me ma'am, at least call me by my name . . . not some weird nick you came up with just because of my unusual pitch!"

But being the disrespectful little shit she was, Yazawa just gave her a blunt stare for a second and came up with another informal call sign for the beige haired lass.

"So, birdie . . ."

Hearing this, the guardsman slumped with disappointment but tried to maintain a sunny disposition despite the insult served by this one of a kind rikusentai.

"Yes? What is it?"

They then continued to walk through shady part of town, with Nico's interest all set towards their captured peer.

"So this Honoka person you slobs were talking about . . . what does she looks like?"

Minami chuckled for a bit and stared at the starry sky with ambers gleaming with bliss.

"She has orange hair and blue eyes, coupled with a smile that could melt even the hardest of hearts!"

"Oh . . ."

"I would also like to mention the fact that she is the strongest among the three of us, with Umi being a close second!"

Nico averted her gaze when she heard the uptight officer's name, but the Captain continued to talk about their days in the academy; a topic which tipped her interest off to say the least.

 _Oh boy, this'll be one hell of a long walk._

"Each of us has a weapon expertise, you see, with Kousaka being well versed in melee, and Sonoda skilled at the use of swords!"

The raven just furrowed her brows in disbelief after learning about the latter's expertise and thought,

 _What? That academy dork actually has a skill with blades? Maybe I should go challenge her for a sparring match after I return. I'd love to see what that idiot has under her tight sleeve!_

"Me, on the other hand . . ." Kotori pursed her lips for a bit, "fail badly in close quarters."

"So what area are you skilled in?"

"You'll see." The taupe immediately drew a smug.

"Now that just sucks."

 _She could be a bomb expert or something, because her voice kind of sounds like it could trigger explosions with a pitch!_

The two stopped on a crossing when they saw a truck pass with what appeared to be hooded men on its back. There were three of them, their hands all tied up by a hemp rope; and collared tees filled with smudge and faint traces of blood.

"That could be them." Captain Minami whispered at the grunt who brought her some bad news.

"Based on how they were dressed, I believe they would be taken to the town square to be hanged."

Realizing that their time was already running out, Kotori ordered the little girl to follow the trucks and gave her a whistle together with some instructions for its use.

"Nico, I want you to shadow that truck while I'll find a vantage point to test this Arisaka I have."

"Okay." The latter then looked at the officer's whistle and asked, "So, uhh . . . am I going to direct traffic or something?"

"No." She irked, "If you'll ever have a chance to get close to Honoka before they'll lead her to the gallows, just give this and tell her to blow it so you could mark her for me."

"Mark? What do you mean?"

Minami then pointed at a high rise situated on her left which she believed could satisfy the need for a suitable sniper's nest.

"I'll be keeping an eye on you from here. And your task is to let me know if she is the one that is about to be hung on the gallows."

"Then how on earth would I mark her? It's not like I'm going to go up there and put an x on her forehead or something!"

Everything fell silent for a minute or so as Kotori gave her a dead glare.

"What?" the impertinent grunt lifted her brows in confusion.

"Just use your initiative." She deadpanned, and opened her rifle's bolt to feed a clip of five rounds. It was there that Nico realized her true intent that casted a shadow of doubt for its success.

"So lemme get this straight. Once the whistle is blown, you want me to mark that retarded friend of yours so you could try your hand at shooting the goddamned rope? . . . is that it?!" Nico then scoffed at such an impossible feat, "Now that's just being a long shot right there! Don't tell me that you consider yourself skilled at long range shooting?"

"Yes, I am."

"Still though, hitting that thing is like shooting a gnat humping on a bull's forehead!"

"I will do my best." Kotori then turned to take her place, and left the private to figure out her next move.

 _Okay, shit. Now I'm going to think about how to follow that blasted truck._

Then with a stroke of luck, a soldier parked a motorcycle right in front of the dubious marine; who walked past her to take a break from a day's worth of relays on the frontlines

"Nihao." (Hello?) He greeted with a wave.

"Uhh . . . Hey."Nico shrugged in return, and spent some time to observe his every move. Seconds ticked by and the man just busied himself with adjusting his sling filled to the brim with dispatches. Sensing that it's her chance to gain his trust, the raven decided to start a "lively" conversation and at the same time thinking of a way to eliminate him without being caught by marksmen.

"Are you a mailman or something?" She asked.

"Yes, and I'm called a messenger. Not a mailman." The soldier gently replied.

"Same shit." She retorted with a smirk.

The impish grunt then saw some cigarette butts on the seams of his breast pocket.

 _Now I know what to do with him._

"Say, do you wanna take a cigarette break or something?"

"Don't mind if I do."

She led him into an alleyway to evade a sniper's watchful eye, and stopped right in the middle of it when the guy pulled a cigarette and asked, "So, where's your lighter?"

Nico then took a type 91 grenade from her pocket and showed it to him with a smug. "Here."

His eyes widened at the realization that the girl in front of him is an infiltrator and was about to scream when the latter jabbed it straight to his face, which knocked him out cold on the pavement.

"Now time for me to borrow your ride, mate."

But before she left the scene, the rowdy private stole a packet of cigarettes and went to fulfill the request of a newfound friend.

 _From Umi to Kotoburb, both of them skilled at issuing tall orders._

She emerged from the alley's dark confines with a cigarette stuck out of her dubious smug, then set those nasty pair of eyes onto the metallic steed that leaned underneath a streetlight's sullen beam. It was a Harley, with fuel tank painted to a fine shade of sable with wheels and other metal parts shimmering with a shade of the purest silver.

"Ohoho, this'll be one helluva sweet ride!"

Then without a moment to waste, Nico jumped on it like a giddy little lass and gave a kick start to the beast which growled to its master's whim and popped some puffs of smoke.

"Alright! Now that's more like it!"

Eager to hear more of its rugged moans, she revved it up and Nico prepared herself to dart through the city on a vehicle she had never thought she could drive one day. Remembering a line from an American film she saw a few nights before, Huangpu's doll faced demon swiftly changed the gear from zero to one and beamed:

"Tonto, away!"

And with a quick skid, she released its clutch and darted off with a gust of dirt on her wake.

It was already three o clock in the morning, and night's starry sheet slowly rolled away to herald the sun's return to its throne. People were already wide awake by then and on their way to the marketplace to buy some ingredients for the most important meal of the day, breakfast. They thought it will be just another Monday morn, but they were about to get the shock of their lives when Nico rushed past at breakneck speed; beeping its horn in quick succession together with an insult which turned everyone's day sour.

"Give way motherfuckers!" the mischievous grunt then laughed like a jackal as everyone looked on with horror, "Coming through!"

She followed the oil splatters on its cobbled street, and narrowly avoided some rickshaws which littered the market's narrow boulevard.

"Get the fuck out of the way!" She then honked some more as a kid tried to cross with a box of apples nestled on his crown. The boy luckily avoided death by a mere inch, but Nico was callous enough to snatch an apple as she passed.

"Thanks for the fruit ya little squirt!"

"Fuck you, and your mother!" He replied with a middle finger.

Her cap flew thereafter and revealed those sable locks which wafted gently like a sheet of the finest linen. Nico chuckled like an innocent little lass, as she broke free from all the chaos and despair that happened around this city's outskirts. The gloomy panorama of the slums finally faded after she entered a thoroughfare bordered by lamps, and was greeted by shops that neatly displayed its goods behind a sheet of glass; where people and guards took a moonlit stroll by the sidewalk with smiles drawn across their faces, on a boulevard adorned by red paper lanterns. She looked on with awe as she darted past, and it was the time when Nico felt her heart was drawn towards the tranquil scenery that lay beyond the remorseless curse of war.

 _What the heck is this place?_

She took a very reckless U-turn just to see a myriad of neon lights displayed on a confectionery's glazed window which flickered in varied shades of yellow, red, blue, and pink; and had narrowly avoided a collision with a Mercedes whose chauffeur just stuck his head out of the window and cussed without ever stopping by.

"I would've pissed on your grave you filthy cunt!"

Nico ignored his senseless yap and conveniently parked the motorbike up front to marvel at the array of candies and tarts displayed in trays, a sight which filled this puppet's heart with joy.

 _Woah, I wanna buy all these lovely chocolate chip cookies!_

But then Nico frowned at the realization that she's penniless and broke, so the raven decided to learn of its name in case she returns to buy those luscious delicacies in bulk. Her rubies scanned at the shop for its name, and smiled when she finally found it just above the neon lights which glittered on its glass. She winced as it proved to be quite a struggle to read it aloud, and furrowed her brows after frustration had finally set in. And after a few minutes of giving off a blank stare, the little girl gave up and hung her shoulders in defeat; due to the fact that **Nico can't read**.

 _Screw this._

But the raven didn't let this tiny setback get into her head and tried to solicit the help of locals who were oblivious of her presence. The sidewalk was densely packed with people from all walks of life, and she forgot her purpose entirely when her eyes caught glimpse of the rich who flaunted their jewelleries and expensive coats for all to see.

 _Rich people . . . pfft. Perhaps they won't mind sharing a bit of their blessings for a needy little goddess like me?_

So she took the chance to revert to her old ways as a pickpocket and scanned for someone who could present an easy target.

 _If they can't notice me at all, might as well take this chance to get some funds and buy me a flask of whiskey and a pack of cigarettes . . ._

It didn't take long for Nico to spot an opportunity to snatch; for in the corner of her eye, a redheaded gal on her thirties examined at a shop that sold elegant dresses and shoes. She wore a black fur lined coat with matching stockings and heels, a fashion statement which drew a mischievous grin on the imp's soot ridden guise.

"Easy pickings."

She crept to her target as shoppers whizzed by, and when she was about to reach for the lady's left waist pocket; Nico heard her woes which went

"Ohhh . . . Maki's rehearsal is only hours away and I still can't make up my mind for the colour and style of her dress!"

The woman fidgeted and mumbled some inaudible curses, woefully oblivious of the malefic presence that already snuck its hand deep into her pocket.

 _Bingo!_

The affair lasted for only a second, and Nico walked away with a fat purse while the victim entered its premises to settle her thoughts once and for all.

 _Hehehe, I wish your kid the best for her rehearsal . . . but my needs far outweigh your pitiful concerns! So, so long, sucker!_

She crossed the street then looked over her shoulder to see what's up with the rich slob, and noticed the deep shade of auburn which the raven remarked with terms only a foul mouthed street kid like her could understand.

"Wow, she's literally a shit head with a big mouth to pair."

The lady seemed to be in the middle of negotiations with the female clerk who looked like as if she didn't buy her proposition to buy out of credit; while between them, a neatly folded red dress glittered in all its glory under the shop's fluorescent glow.

"Too bad your money is in good hands now."

Nico then juggled the fat pouch and pulled up a dubious wry.

"I hope it'll also serve a lesson not to be so proud of your status in life. . . Well, time to head for a bar before returning to my useless superior!"

Then she heard the shop's door open up with a chime and saw her victim being ushered off its premises.

"I am sorry ma'am, but we don't take credits. It's against store policy."

"B-but please," She clasped her hands to plead "her rehearsal would start at seven, and I promise to pay for it when the bank opens at nine!"

But her bargain sadly went into deaf ears, and the tenant returned to her station without even looking back. Private Yazawa felt her heart had sunk from the guilt of robbing someone a chance to make her child happy; and watched as the lady hung her head in shame and trudged with heavy steps.

 _Ugh, what a drag. I should've run for an alleyway after taking her money._

So she followed the trail of the redheaded gal, and in the process; had her eyes peeled for Chinese soldiers who were already in high alert after news broke out that Japanese infiltrators came through Tae bridge under the guise of being Colonel Bao's men. A patrol appeared from a corner just a few steps away, and she had no choice but to duck into an alleyway to wait it out; for the last thing Nico could ever want was to start a commotion that could put more innocent lives in danger.

 _If this was the eastern part of Zhabei, I would've finished them off in the blink of an eye._

One of the young soldiers separated from the group and headed straight into the corridor where the raven hid, and when the guy was already deep within its shady confines; he noticed a trash can that seemed to be out of place. Curious as to what was hidden beneath its rusted lid, he kicked it with a rifle readied to shoot; then sighed with relief after it yielded nothing more than the usual stacks of garbage and filth. But little did he realize that the succubus had already descended behind like a spider on a fine line of silk; tied to the waist with hemp which formed the integral part of a soldier's field kit. He shivered with cold sweat when the demon's pale arms wrapped around his neck, by which she giggled and whispered like a lover flirting with her man.

"What a lovely night for a stroll, eh?"

And with a sudden twist of her of limbs, Nico dispatched the unfortunate soul and cut herself loose to loot for anything that could be of use.

"Let me see now . . ."

She checked his pockets with hopes of finding some cash; but instead, her heart further sunk into despair after her search yielded a photograph of the young man who stood beside his parents. Nico flipped it as sadness started to take its course, and winced after she saw the words "Please be home soon" etched in faded lead.

 _I can't read . . . but, I could feel the parent's wish to have this kid come home._

"But it'll be on a wooden box now." The private then reached for his eyes and closed it as a little favour to console his loss, and wore the helmet that bore a striking semblance to what the Germans used.

 _Now it's time to return what I stole from that shithead._

Nico then walked out of its seedy confines and did her best to hide those lustrous pair of eyes underneath the stahlhelm's rim. She made her way through the boulevard with a heavy heart, and ignored the mesmerizing glare of neon lights which danced in earnest with vivid hues. Now, all that mattered to her was to return what she stole; and hope that the curse of war won't reach this place anymore.

 _That boy . . . He shouldn't have entered that corridor._

"I was just doing what I can to survive . . ." The raven murmured, "If I was the one on the opposite side of the stick, I would've been dead by now."

 _I may have been granted an ability to survive even in the most grievous of wounds, but a single pierce through my heart could end it all in an instant. . ._

Then the sound of boots snapped the lass off her thoughts, while people gathered by the sidewalks with flaglets in hand; their eyes set to a battalion of newly inducted troops who marched towards the frontlines. Nico watched as young men looked straight ahead without giving a subtle a glimpse to their parents who waved goodbye, while their wishes of safe passage and deliverance from the gruelling task ahead echoed through the puppet's crumbling soul; and all she heard were the words,

"Please come home when the battle's already done. . . I'll be waiting for you by the magnolias in Suzhou creek!" A lady in her early twenties cried out as her lover stole a glimpse, and smiled.

"Promise that you'll return if this war is over. I don't care if our side lost, just promise me that you'll come back!" A mother waved at her son who tried his best to hide a face flushed with tears.

"My son, for many years I had watched you grow . . . but it it's only now that I shed some tears as I see you go to protect our land. I am proud of you, I really am. But please don't forget to write back, for I am sure I'll feel a bit lonely when you're gone." A man on his forties mumbled as he carried a picture of his child, together with a paper crane which he gave him after he left to enact his duty.

The raven froze where she stood, and stared at the faces of their dearly beloved that could do nothing but see them go. They were determined to defend their city to the very last, but Nico knew all too well that there is no hope left for Shanghai.

 _The marines are already sweeping from the direction of Hangzhou as of this moment, while the seasoned Army divisions are outflanking their positions in and around Suzhou . . . It'll be a matter of time before all means of escape will be cut off, and I pity them for sacrificing their lives within the city of a lost cause._

Unable to bottle the guilt which brewed within her soul, Nico left the scene and resumed the search for the redheaded mom. The shopping district was vast, and the raven soon found herself lost within the maze of shops and eloquent hotels.

 _Where in the world am I?_

Then the piano's gentle tune hummed at a distance, and the lass felt a renewed resolve as her heart was purged of worries and regret.

 _That sound . . . It is the only thing that pushed me to come here in the first place._

She followed its alluring tone without a hint of a doubt; for she knew that whoever was responsible for such a wonderful piece still saw the beauty of life within a world filled with agony and despair.

 _I feel . . . lighter._

Block after city block she wandered, with its wondrous melody serve as her guide in the darkest of night. And at last, her feet led her to a subdivision where only the elites made their nests; and Nico paused for a moment to listen to its very slow paced and solemn tune.

 _I could sense how much the pianist cared for the world with this piece._

The beats of her heart became erratic with glee, and Yazawa placed all her trust at the chord's welcoming tune and went to a European styled mansion found at the very end of a brightly lit street.

"At last, I have finally found its source." She smiled as her eyes were set to a room on the topmost floor where a white curtain revealed the silhouette of the pianist responsible for concocting a piece which put her soul at peace.

 _Now it's time for me to get a closer look._

She scanned the area for a spot to admire the protégé at work, and saw a mango tree on the corner of the house that reflected the room's fluorescent light.

 _The front window may be closed, but based on how the light shines on its bark; there's a chance that the window facing it is open, and I'm going to take my chances to sneak in just to get a glimpse of its owner._

So she scaled its brick wall that was only six feet high, and jumped on its trimmed hedge which adorned the compound's seam with its stint of lush greenery. The leaves made quite a ruffle after she landed, but it seemed that no one noticed and checked see what's up.

 _So far so good, the coast is clear._

And with a quick burst of guts and sheer resolve, the little devil sprinted towards the mango tree without even realizing that a vine had latched onto her left boot.

 _Almost there!_

But after right after she took a dozen steps, Nico felt something grab her foot which caused her to tumble all the way through; only to stop when her back slammed violently against its concrete wall. It was there that the pianist stood from its seat and rushed to investigate what caused quite a loud commotion in the middle of the night.

"Oh shit." The private then jumped into a cluster of red bougainvilleas that gave her a view of its porch, and ignored the thorns that had lodged into her wounds.

Then the balcony's pair of incandescent lamps sparked into life as the owner opened its door with a golf club in hand.

 _Wait a minute . . . that girl . . ._

Her pupils widened in disbelief after she saw her semblance to the lady whose wallet she snatched.

 _She must be the kid named Maki that slob was talking about._

"W-who goes there?!" The redhead yelled while she descended its steps, with club on the ready to swing at the slightest hint of an intruder. She only wore a purple blouse with a matching pair of pyjamas, while her feet were wrapped snugly by a pair of fluffy pink slippers shaped like a bunny.

The jittery teenager walked around the yard which gave the devil a good look at her guise, and the raven couldn't help but admire the beauty that bloomed under the faint rays of moonlight.

 _This child . . . She's probably the most beautiful thing I've ever seen in my entire life._

"Santa? Santa is that you? Please, don't be shy and show yourself!"

But when she heard about the kid's fondness towards the jolly fat elf, Nico placed a palm over her lips while she snickered from the child's silly beliefs.

"Oh my, you look so mature but still believe in Santa? Are you fucking kidding me?" She remarked with a soft spoken tone.

"I have some milk and cookies by the fridge, just take it if you want!" And with that said, the girl with the lovely pair of lilacs let out a sigh and returned to practice on her piece.

 _Wait . . . cookies? Did she just say cookies?!_

She poked her head out as the porch's door gently closed with a snap, and tiptoed her way right next to it with the intent to take the redhead's offer of free food; even if it was meant for someone who only existed on fairytales and children's colouring books.

 _I'm hungry, so I gotta go pay her a little visit._

"Well, time for me to get in and grab something to eat."

The raven gathered her resolve and entered the redhead's abode, and was greeted by a scent of lavenders and cherries which made the little girl feel like she was ushered into another world.

 _So this is what it feels stepping into a rich man's house?_

Meanwhile, the piano's solemn tune resumed its melodious cues; but the private decided to put first things first, and scoured the ground floor to find its kitchen. It was dark with succinct rays of moonlight shining through its windows, but the lass found it very easy to traverse with deft steps due to her role as a Umi's very own saboteur.

 _So this short hallway painted in yellow is the first thing you'll see once you enter . . . and its walls seem to be adorned with scenes of nature._

She then came across its wide living room where a pair of leather couches faced a glass table, and a slit closet that seemed to stand vigil over their front door.

 _Hmmm . . ._

Her eyes caught a glimpse of an arch found on the closet's left side, and Nico immediately jogged her way into the area that was indeed the kitchen; evidenced by its tiled floor, and a sink found right next to a stainless steel oven with a stovetop. But the only thing that piqued her interest was a large white box situated on the leftmost corner of the room, a sight which made the impish grunt giggle with sheer delight.

 _Finally, I could eat!_

She immediately opened it up and saw a dozen cartons of milk lined neatly on the first rack, stacks of half dozen eggs on the second, and last but not the least; a lone can of cookies on the third, next to a bag of tomatoes and grapes.

"Ohhhh~ It feels like I'm in heaven!" Nico mused before she grabbed a milk carton and a can of cookies then cautiously made her way up the stairs found on the right side of the living room's cabinet.

 _Now it's time to listen at her piece!_

The Japanese infiltrator took great care not to bump into stuff when she arrived on its second floor, as the hallway there had a pair of porcelain jars which bordered each of its six doors that faced one another by cluster threes; and a mirror found at the very end of its red carpeted path.

 _Hmmm, I think she's not really that rich as I've thought . . . this house sort of resemble those owned by the middle class._

She finally reached the very first door near the other end of the hallway where a halo of light shone through its seams. Nico placed her ear into its lacquered surface and listened as Maki was in the middle of putting some lyrics on its tune.

"Father," the redhead cooed, "This is for you."

With a few gentle taps of its keys, the girl sang with a language that sounded all too familiar for the imperial dervish.

"Aishiteru banzai . . . koko de yoka-atta~"

Hearing this, she immediately withdrew and cussed "What the actual fuck?" then rushed into the adjacent room when footsteps echoed close behind. Nico partially opened its door for a peek, and saw that it was indeed the auburn haired lady whom she robbed of a purse.

"Momo!" Her mother called to her beloved daughter who rushed to her side with a kiss to the cheek.

"Mom!" Maki then gave her a hug and asked, "So, how was your stroll?"

"It was lovely!" She responded with a burst of faked cackles and gave something to the redheaded lass.

"Look what I got for you~"

The girl hopped and squealed for a bit from her mother's gift and said, "You shouldn't have made all that trouble just to buy me this!"

Mrs. Nishikino just smiled and leaned to rub their noses, an act which made the raven feel jealous all of a sudden.

 _What a lucky little brat._

"Mom, it tickles!"

"Of course it does, dear!"

As the two enjoyed their intimate moment as mother and child, Nico caught glimpse of the gift which looked like a heart shaped locket suspended on a very thin chain all fashioned out of pure gold.

 _They look so happy together._

She then looked away as sadness took its course, and the raven huddled with the thought that she was all alone with no one left to call as her family.

 _The only real family I had are already dead._

The lass stared at a drawer found on the other side of a bed stripped of its mattress and sheets, where a picture of what seems to be the girl's father stood with a black ribbon wrapped upon its frame's lacquered waist. She went to check it out, and realized that he was a casualty of the first battle for Shanghai that raged five years back; based on a clipping where the names of the fallen were listed right next to where his frame once stood.

 _No wonder she dedicated the song for her father . . . But why Japanese? I could clearly discern that he's a policeman who fought for the Republic, for the collar tabbings are already a dead giveaway for his side during that fateful battle._

Nico looked at the rank tabs on his collar one last time, and saw that it closely resembled that of Minami's rank; except for the fact that it was a pair of triangles, not a duo of silver stars.

 _I see, so he was a captain who once defended this city from my kin._

"I guess it's time for me to take these snacks and head home." The imperial grunt left the room with a frown, and overheard their muffled cackles as she passed.

 _Seeing the picture of the deceased makes me think that this lady tries her best to fill the void he left by taking good care of the flower who reminded her of their love._

But her heart felt restless and Nico turned to listen some more, driven by a succinct streak of jealousy which yearned for a mother's love.

"It won't hurt just taking a peek."

She gently pushed the door to a mere crack, just enough for a pupil to catch a glimpse of what's inside. And there she saw the little girl, caressed by her mother who fondled her locks. They sat at the edge of the bed that had a pair of thick mattresses and stuffed toys on its head; while the wall behind was adorned by a canvas of pink with strawberries that filled the room with its childish feel. It is far from the world where Nico grew up, for her room was once a shed where horses and mares were sent to die; quartered and hanged in chains to be dried against the sultry Manchurian air. Her siblings slept on a bale of hay, while she spent all those hot summer and harsh winter nights all curled up on its barren soil.

"Maki, had you been practicing this whole time?" She smiled, and looked at her daughter with compassion set within those lovely pair of amethysts. Maki responded with a nod, then cooed "Yes, because I can't sleep from thinking about what's happening downtown."

"Do not fear," The mother held her hand and mused, "I am here to protect you when the fighting spills to this part of town."

Rest assured and by her promise, Maki buried her face into the matriarch's chest and sobbed

"I'm scared. . . Will father be here to protect us too?"

"Yes, and I know he will."

Nico couldn't hold her emotions any longer and looked away, as Mrs. Nishikino sang a lullaby to comfort the child's weary soul.

 _That's it. I'm out of here._

So she reached for her waist pocket and left the stolen purse on its doorstep before she walked out of their lavish abode with a heavy heart. A few minutes had passed since then, and the lady felt a chill came through their door; so she gave the redhead a peck on her cheek, and gently laid the lass to rest in a mattress adorned with Christmas's bliss.

"Maki," She brushed her bangs that revealed the child's angelic guise, "Sleep tight, mother's going to find a way of raising an amount to buy you a nice new dress" and pursed those supple pair of lips for a second, "Tomorrow would be the greatest day of your life, so I have to make sure that you will also look at your very best."

The woman went to check if there's someone else nearby and found the hallway devoid of life, then paled when she saw her purse, still in pristine condition; and loaded with money. Mrs. Nishikino picked it up and raced outside to find out who was responsible for such an admirable deed, and there; on a lamppost found on the very end of their subdivision's road, a little girl with long strands of sable and ruby orbs sat on a bench and was in the middle of consuming her ill gotten snacks. She recognized the olive puttees right away as those worn by the empire's ruthless marines, the very same people who murdered her husband when their city was under siege five years back. But nonetheless, the lady didn't let an old grudge get the best of her; and decided to give the straggler a little more to show how much she appreciated the deed.

"Perhaps she's feeling a bit cold for staying out too long." And went back to take something that could help the raven feel warm during the long winter nights. It was already the second week of October, and Hangzhou's stale air brought quite a chill even if the city itself seldom experienced winter's bounty of snow and ice.

Meanwhile, Nico chugged the litre of milk in just one go and dunked its husk on a neighbouring bin; then lay with a wry from the satisfaction gained from munching on a mere snack.

"Milk is quite a rarity from where I came from . . ." She yawned, then lowered her visor to take a nap. "And I wish they are here with me to share this bounty."

 _The stars are shining bright tonight, and I could feel them watching over me with smiles set on their faces._

The private flinched when she felt something press against her knee, and lifted its visor to see the woman with auburn locks who sat on its edge with a blanket and folded sweater on her lap.

"Whuh?" The little girl huddled at a corner, by which Mrs. Nishikino smiled at her and mused, "I don't know how to thank you enough for returning my purse, but it's getting a bit cold lately so I thought that I'll be giving this to you."

She then paused for a bit and draped the chequered quilt onto the child's battered and sod ridden frame, an act that gave the demon's cheeks an unearthly hue of red.

 _She shouldn't have made all that trouble to come out just to thank me._

"A . . . Arigatou . . ." Her tongue slipped from the local's unexpected deed, and to compensate for her mistake; Nico diverted her gaze with a curt "Thanks" and expected the worst when she saw the host's pupils widen with brows lifted from excitement.

"Look, I can explain." She then reached for the tanto hidden in her left knee.

 _Inasmuch as I don't want to have my hands stained with the blood of an innocent, I won't hesitate to silence someone who will bring me to harm's way. I am severely wounded, and even if the serum does its magic of numbing my nerves while healing it at an accelerated rate; I may still die from infection and disease. So I opt not to fight any more of your countrymen, for now._

But it turned out to be the opposite of what she expected, and the redhead chuckled when her assumptions turned out to be true.

"I am not surprised," The lady then removed her helm, "The puttees immediately gave your identity away!"

With that heard and trust firmly ensured, Yazawa released the knife's sharkskin grip and looked at the myriad of neon lights that flickered at a distance; all the while keeping an eye out for the lady who examined her stained olive strips, and brown hobnailed boots like a giddy little tot.

"I couldn't believe that I'll be able to meet a real Japanese soldier . . ." Mrs. Nishikino jested with a giggle, "And a marine at that too!"

 _Ugh, this lady seems to know much about our uniform._

Carried away by her fascination with this eccentric visitor, she locked her lilacs against the raven's reds and asked, "I heard this a lot of times, but what does SNLF mean?"

Nico avoided eye contact with a very blunt reply.

"Special naval landing force."

Then the redhead took the leisure of knocking at her boots, and gasped with amazement after she found that it was made of tanned leather; not the usual sheepskin the NRA used on their shoes.

"Wow, your land must have a lot of resources to spare!"

By which the raven batted an eye and thought:

 _She's already getting into my nerves._

Pleased by everything she saw, the mother diverted her gaze towards the grunt and realized that the soldier was just a kid sent to fight for her nation's ideals.

"Say, aren't you supposed to be in school?"

Nico was snapped from her hundred yard stare and furrowed her brows from the lady's stark inquiry, but she decided to keep her lips sealed shut; and tried her best not to latch a glare onto her hostess' orbs.

"The battlefield isn't a place for children, you know." The redhead then unfurled the sweater she has in hand and cooed, "Maki used to love this sweater so much, but it seems that she grew up so fast and lost interest to it."

The raven looked at it with reluctance set upon her face, but the lady took her palm and placed it with a gentle tap.

"Now, go try it out." She then moved away to give the lass a bit of privacy.

"Thank . . . you." Nico muttered like pup.

The raven proceeded to undo the buttons of her coat, and winced when she felt her scars throbbed the moment it separated from her frame. Her pupils shrunk when she saw her cotton tees all soaked and tattered from the battle beforehand, with holes the size of quarters riddled throughout like a canvas drawn with morbid resolve.

 _I pray that I won't be infected with sepsis from all this._

Bits of skin flaked as she pried it off, and in the corner of her eye; Mrs. Nishikino stole a glimpse from afar, horrified at the grievous wounds her countrymen bestowed upon this promising young soul.

 _At least the bleeding had already stopped._

She then felt a chill crawl down her spine, and Nico shuddered as she grasped the sweater with all her might.

 _W-what's happening to me? No . . . it can't be . . ._

Her vision blurred with desperate beats that surged through the depths of her mind, and right before those accursed pair of orbs finally lost its sight; a shadow quickly rushed to cover her naked form and whispered, "Be still, nobody's going to die tonight."

With that heard, Nico felt at ease for she knew all too well that her life's in good hands with the redhead whom she met in the heart of a condemned metropolis.

 _Let me see the light, even if it's just a subtle glimpse. I know my soul is out of redemption's reach, but a mere glint could finally put my soul at peace._

The little girl woke up on a sea of glass which glittered beneath a magnificent dome of stars. It sparkled like fireflies in the middle of May, and her cheeks felt warm while it flickered and sparked. Her body lay bare and unblemished in the field of endless sky, while her heart finally felt at peace; without a hint of care for the world she had left behind.

 _I remember this place . . ._

She turned to a horizon that met no end, where the blanket of stars seemed to have melted into the glossy surface of the sea of glass. It was an illusory world she first saw when her life came to its bitter end, and the place where she met a demon whose covenant she accepted in exchange for her own soul.

"It's all coming back to me now."

Nico mustered her resolve and sat, then stared at a reflection cast on its still waters. It was that of her younger self, a little girl dressed in a kimono of the purest white with eyes that shined brightest with the essence of sheer innocence.

"It is a shame that the one who possessed that guise is now a monster reserved for the depths of hell."

She dipped a finger on its forehead then grimaced when it scattered on its wake, and all that's left is the picture of a soulless husk whose purpose was to enact her heart's innermost desire for revenge.

"Akame . . ." the girl narrowed her brows, "is there something you'd like to tell me?"

Then the mirror image suddenly puts up a dubious wry and reached out to cup her vessel's cheeks.

"Well, well . . ." the doppelganger raised herself halfway through and pressed her forehead against the raven's own.

" . . . If it isn't my favourite little demon paying an old friend a visit?"

Nico moved away and snarled, "Enough of this nonsense and tell me what I need to hear!" by which the dervish rose from the depths and leaned in to whisper with malice set on its voice.

"Your time is running out, Nico." She then licked the raven's ear that caused her to quiver in fear. Akame laughed without a hint of remorse and fondled her pitch black locks with eyes that thrived at the torment of another.

"You may wake up one day without a body to return to. . ." the doppelganger scoffed with a smirk, "So you better make good of your mission before I claim what is rightfully mine!"

Her voice rang within the confines of her ear in fervid beats, and Nico's sentience finally plunged her back into the realm of reality where she lay in a bed situated right next to the window that showed Zhabei's pristine skyline.

 _What the hell just happened to me?_

She lifted her arms and saw that it was already clothed with Maki's pink sweater, with the dirty pair of dull grey pants replaced by a pleated light blue skirt adorned by thin streaks of blue and white.

 _Woah._

Startled by the change of clothes, Nico dashed towards the mirror and gasped when she saw her hair tied in ponytails by a duo of red velvets; paired with a face that showed no signs of faded scars and the nasty slice on the lips which extended to her earlobes.

"No fucking way."

 _That lady just turned me into a friggin' doll!_

The raven then rolled her shirt and realized that even her wounds were taken care of by the kind host, all cleaned up and bound by linen strips.

"So I guess the rumours were true, and I can't believe that I would meet the demon everyone has been grumbling about these past few months."

Nico turned and saw the lady who stood by the doorway with a tray of food. She then laid it on a table next to her bed, and remarked at the resilience shown by this mysterious saboteur.

"Those wounds you bear could surely spell death for an able bodied man, yet here you are . . . acting like nothing happened at all."

Nico just sat at its edge and faced the window ridden with guilt, ashamed at the remorseless deeds she had done to her countrymen.

 _Even during my most vulnerable, she didn't take the chance to avenge her husband's death._

The matriarch sat right next to the raven and smiled, then offered her a warm glass of milk which the lass accepted with a reluctant stare.

"Don't be shy now. You're my guest, so please feel at home."

"T-thank you." The grunt then took some subtle sips and giggled as she savoured its creamy goodness that slid through her throat.

 _It's my first time to drink warm milk, and this is probably one of the best things I've ever tasted!_

"Feeling better now?" She inquired with sweetness set within her tone, by which Nico responded with a nod.

"Now that's good to know!" Mrs. Nishikino then reached for a plate of chocolate chip cookies that made the raven's face light up with glee, and grabbed all five of it in a cinch. Amazed at the rate Nico ate those well loved treats, the redhead looked at the plate and remarked with a chuckle.

"My, I guess Maki would have some competition when it comes to cookies!"

Then the adjacent room was filled with quaint footsteps and muffled yawns, and the redhead gave a pat to the petite little girl then joked,

"The queen is up now. I should go tend to her before she goes all grumpy and sour!"

She then left Nico who drank the last drops of milk and stared at the skyline with eyes fogged with tears.

 _I was taught that the Chinese were our enemies, and expected no quarter as we did to them. All those people I hacked, they were just trying to defend their land even if victory seemed uncertain and grim._

The sky's hue of the deepest blue turned into a shade of purple and grey, everything felt at peace as birds chirped their lovely melodies and flew towards an unknown fate. Nico's pupils shrunk as the sun's first rays sprang from Hangzhou's coastline to illuminate her guise, paired with a hint of warmth that gave her a sense of security from the chaos that engulfed the outskirts of a lively metropolis.

"When would this war ever end?"

The raven was snapped from her thoughts when she heard Maki's innocent cackles, and decided to sneak out so she could listen to their random conversation.

"Now who's my little sweet tomato, huh?"

"Mom! Stop!"

The bed cluttered about as they giggled and wheezed, while Nico's ears heated up in earnest due to envy that swelled within her chest.

 _Shit . . . I shouldn't be feeling like this!_

"Mom, please! It tickles!"

"Make me!"

"Seriously, stop!"

"No."

Soon, her heart felt laughter gave way to hysteria as the lady started to buzz at her tummy. The raven couldn't stomach it any longer and returned to her room with a slump. The little girl frowned, and lay with a burdened heart; with resolve dwindled to a pip as she thought about the only thing that eluded her all these years.

 _A mother's love is the only thing I could ever ask for in this world. But I guess she had reasons why she left us in the steppes of Manchuria._

None of the siblings knew who their parents were, and were raised by a peasant couple who lived within the confines of Moshimo; a rural village found near the border of the Soviet Union. It was the scene of vicious clashes that riddled the late twenties and the early thirties, a stark period of strife that saw the rise of General Tojo and Colonel Minami; together with the dissolution of the Choseon and the subsequent formation of the Kwantung as Japan's premier army corps.

There, the young Nico Yazawa started off as an apprentice of a fur trapper; a bleak profession that helped her foster family go through the later years of the said decade until their death in 1929. Since then, she was left to tend for her siblings; and with the chaos in the border amplified by Marshal Voroshilov's Ninth Area Corp's incursion into Manchuria, the lass resorted to thievery just to make ends meet.

 _Morals didn't matter to me at all, for I cared for was that my siblings would have something to eat once the harsh winter nights fell._

Those were arduous times that honed the child's bitter resolve, with her needs sustained by whatever spoils she could get from the dead soldiers that littered its shattered landscape.

 _Death was something I lived through each and every day. The smell of decay felt just like the air I breathe, while their bloated remains which I considered as nothing more like wilted leaves scattered in the middle of fall._

Then the door behind the raven softly opened up a subtle creak, and Nico saw that it was her Chinese host dressed in a housewife's simple pink dress and white overall.

"Uhm, I'd like you to come over for breakfast Ms . . ."

"Nico." She reluctantly addressed, then flashed a lopsided smile just to hide her embarrassment.

"Oh, Nico." Mrs. Nishikino paused for a bit, and remarked "What a lovely name you got there."

Her petite powdered guise soon turned into a subtle shade of pink, by which the redhead stroked her crown with a burst of heartfelt giggles.

"Now, now . . . there's no need to get flustered all of a sudden!" She then turned to leave the premises and said, "Maki's been inching to meet you. So you better hurry . . ." with a wink.

"Nicocchi."

 _Did she just pick on my size? Putting chi on someone's name kind of means that you're being belittled . . . In a very affectionate way that is._

"H-hai . . ."

The two made their way to the dining room where her child waited to meet such an eccentric guest, and when they finally arrived at its rose scented atmosphere; Nico gawked at the sight of Maki dressed in a velvet tube, with a scarf that glittered like the starry sky. Her hair was clipped with a rose ornament that bloomed at the start of spring, while the lass' skin was pearly white and gleamed underneath the chandelier's faded light.

 _She's . . . she's just too darn beautiful!_

"Ahh!" Maki rose from her seat and the raven's pair of crimson orbs met the vibrant broach of lilacs that sparkled with glee. Meanwhile, Mrs. Nishikino excused herself and left to tend for the meal which sizzled within its pot.

"So you must be the guest my Mom has been telling me all this time?" She then took Nico's hand and gave a curt introduction.

"I'm Nishikino Maki, nice to meet you."

The rich little slob stared at her for a second or two; by which the raven, all putting up a façade of serenity stuttered,

"Ni . . . Nico."

The latter tried once more to avoid the redhead's gaze, but the lass swooped in and kissed her cheeks as a sign of friendship with hopes of forging a bond. Dumbfounded by the gesture given by this talented young heir, the scourge's left lid winced; while her hand became a tad colder than it used to be.

"My, you are so cold . . ." Maki raised her brows, "And pale too."

She then separated in earnest, and led the guest to a seat situated right next to her. Nico felt a sense of relief that the child didn't dare pry about her true identity, and sat like a docile little lamb eager to receive some bounty from its shepherd.

With everything already in place, and silver platters placed out front; the redhead unfurled a piece of cloth by which the private imitated without a hitch. Her eyes widened when Maki conveniently stuffed it on her chest, and thought

 _She's . . . she's only fifteen! But her breasts look sizeable enough for her age!_

She then looked at her own with furrowed brows.

 _Meanwhile, I retained my body of fourteen years. . . And it serves as a reminder of who I was before I died._

"So, Nico . . ."

The latter was interrupted when the protégé propped her head out of sheer interest, "Where do you live? Are you just situated nearby or . . ."

"I don't know." The red eyed girl flinched, "Sorry, but I already forgot" and stared at the reflection cast on the silver platter.

"I see." Maki averted her gaze, "With everything that happened, I cannot blame you for it."

Her mother returned with a pot sealed by its lid, and Maki took a whiff as she placed it in front. Nico on the other hand leaned towards it and raised her brows out of curiosity. It fumed about with a scent of vinegar, oil, chopped onions, and the strongest of them all; garlic.

 _What's this?_

Without further ado, the lady opened it up and was treated with the sight of minced pork and liver; with bits of carrots and spring onions relished on top. It was stir fried, and the raven's mind melted from the refreshing scent of seasonings and olive oil.

 _For days I lived off with only chicken broth and rice . . . And I can't wait to try out this new dish!_

Maki went first and scooped quite a handful with its ladle, but then the latter took a glance at their impoverished guest and dumped it in her platter with a playful smirk.

"Nico, you're our guest. So you must have the privilege of taking first dibs!"

The raven could only watch with in awe as her host filled the plate to its brim. Then, the heiress reached for a bottle of catsup and poured it onto the grease ridden pile of minced meat.

"Now now Maki, let's not get carried away."

"It's alright ma, I'm just trying to let little Nico savour its full taste!"

Irked by the way she referred to her as "little," Nico faked a smile then mumbled:

"Little my ass."

"What?"

"Thank you!" the pretentious grunt snapped.

She then turned to sit down, and observed her host who took the leisure to fill her own plate with the much loved dish.

 _This kid . . . I could see that she would become a good wife someday._

After a moment of setting themselves up to eat their breakfast, Mrs. Nishikino sat in front of the adorable pair and remarked

"Wow, you two look like sisters who had just met after a long time!"

"I wish!" the tomato cheeked gal beamed, then glanced at the raven who furrowed her brows in shock.

"I always wanted to have a little sister!"

Nico didn't stutter a single word in response, while the two exchanged some innocent cackles that made the latter feel out of place.

 _Sister? You want me to become your little sister?_

"Alright! Enough of the chatter! It's about time we dig in and start the day with a bang!" The redhead then helped herself out, while her mom reached out and gave her little soldier a pat.

"Come along now, don't be shy and help yourself."

The matriarch then clasped her hands to mutter some grace, and ate with eyes set towards the red eyed lass.

 _What in the world is she thinking?_

Nico gazed back at her for a bit and smiled, then shovelled some to satisfy both her hunger and the lady's expectant stare.

 _Well, here goes._

She closed those remorseless pair of rubies and opened her mouth with a gape. But Nico took great care and hid those sharpened set of teeth as she took a hearty bite.

 _My, it's . . ._

Her pupils shrunk while she chewed, then moaned as she felt a subtle tang of lemon which made her giggle with sweet delight. In the corner of her eye, she saw Maki glance at her with a smile; paired with lilacs that seemed to melt into her rosy red cheeks.

 _This is delicious!_

The little girl finally shed her sheepish façade and ate all she could, while Mrs. Nishikino laughed as little by little; and with each consecutive scoop, the pile of meat was reduced to nothing more than a spoonful of carrots and shredded chides.

"You two sure do get along that fast!" The lady remarked, and ate at a leisurely pace.

"Man, I'm stuffed!" Maki then wiped her guise clean of scraps.

Nico broke into cold sweat when her stomach felt numb and filled to the brim with air.

 _Meanwhile, I can't move!_

"Say Nico, would you like to watch me play?"

The latter just faced her with a lopsided smile, hesitant to say the least.

"Momo, Nico is going to help me with the groceries."

"But . . ." Maki frowned, "will you be watching my rehearsal later on, ma?"

"Of course, dear." The matriarch then wiped her lips clean of smudge and winked, "promise."

With that said, the redhead stared at her guest with a grin; a sign that she really liked to have her around even if the raven exhibited such tasteless attitude.

"I am looking forward to see you there too!" She beamed, before rushing out of the room to prepare the final touches in her makeup and dress. The grunt stood dumbfounded at the girl's zealous resolve, but flinched when the lady tapped on her shoulder and said with a mischievous tone,

"I could sense Maki is really fond of you, Nicocchi."

The befuddled lass felt nervous at the thought, but the mother reassured her with a pat.

"Don't worry, my daughter isn't the type who tires easily. And I am surprised that she's very accommodating even if you two just met."

 _Really now?_

"Now, if you'll excuse me . . ." She gathered all the utensils and plates in a stack then cooed, "I'll be cleaning these up!"

The woman left in quite a hurry, but forgot the pot which still had the pungent stench of garlic and spice. Thinking that this could be the chance to talk with her more, Nico picked it up and went to tug at her coat.

"Oh . . ." Mrs. Nishikino giggled for a bit, "My, I almost forgot about that pot! Thanks for carrying it for me!" she then took it from the raven and immersed it on a tub of water.

Nico stood by and listened to the hostess who hummed as she went, and when the lady was about to do one final rinse; the little girl mustered her courage and with a soft spoken voice she said,

"Uhm, Missus violet. . ."

The redhead faced her and mused, "What is it Nicocchi? Is there something you'd like to ask?"

Yazawa fiddled her thumbs for a bit and asked,

"Can you tell me about your husband?"

Mrs. Nishikino paused after the kid inquired about her better half, and those lustrous pair of lilacs suddenly glimmered as tears seeped through its seams.

"Oh . . . He's . . ." the lady looked down, "He's gone."

"Killed by my countrymen, right?"

The redhead tried to keep a hospitable disposition despite sorrow's remorseless whim, while Nico latched those cold pair of hands to hers and pried,

"You had a chance to kill me last night," the raven then leaned closer, "but why? Why didn't you take it for the man who I know you miss so dearly?"

"It's because . . ." She sniffled, but before she could give a proper response; the woman turned her gaze towards the doorway as frantic steps pattered about.

"Ma!" Maki entered with zeal set upon her guise, "The great general is also there to watch me play!"

"You mean the CKS?" Mrs. Nishikino replied with a smile.

"Yes!" The lass rushed to give her mother a hug, while Nico raised an eyebrow at the once in a lifetime chance to assassinate the Kuomintang's charismatic leader.

 _Chang Kai Shek? I must be very lucky indeed._

She reciprocated her daughter's embrace and beamed, "That means you'll have to give it all you got, Maki!"

The matriarch then rolled her eyes towards Nico who chimed like a flustered sheep.

"Yeah . . . give it your best."

 _I can't just say how gorgeous she looks, right?_

The lass then separated from her mum and wrapped those luscious pair of arms around the imperial scourge who fidgeted with cheeks flushed with a shade of red. Nico gasped as Maki's subtle yet vibrant warmth scoured through whatever was left of her soul, while those lustful pair of rubies which yearned for the sight of blood and gore widened with sheer delight; thoroughly pleased by the girl's heartfelt show of affection.

"Thank you Nico."

"D-don't m-m-mention it . . ."

 _Ugh, this kid's so clingy!_

Yazawa closed her eyes for a bit and delved deeper into her thoughts.

 _Her skin is so moist though, and I could smell her better from here!_

She was then snapped from the moment of bliss when the lady intervened and parted them like the red sea.

"Break it up you two!" Mrs. Nishikino then looked at her wristwatch and chimed, "My, my~ Look at the time!" then stared at her daughter with a squint, "You better hurry, or you'll be late for your show young lady!"

Maki furrowed her brows in response and cooed, "Geez, thanks for reminding me mum!"

The lass then gave a peck at her cheek which the woman returned with a kiss on her crown, and Maki left the premises with a giggle which whinnied as she went. With the giddy little girl finally on her way to make a name for herself, the redhead gently held the raven's hand and said:

"Nico, it's time we should head on our way too."

Yazawa nodded in response, by which the lady went to take her coat from its rack upstairs.

"Man I'm glad that kid's gone." The little demon sighed in relief.

It didn't take long before Mrs. Nishikino returned to entertain her guest, and Nico became awestruck while she struts towards her with dignified strides. She was dressed in her black leather fur lined coat, with heels that pattered as she went. Her face was devoid of makeup, while those lustrous strands of crimson were neatly tied to a bun by a lace of white velvet. But what really caught the raven's eye was those dainty pair of legs covered a blanket of stockings; all unblemished, and smooth as silk.

 _Maki is one very lucky kid._

The lady blushed when she noticed the way Nico stared at her with those lustful pair of eyes, yet she kept her cool and calmly knelt to undo her ponytails for a woollen beanie that matched the revenant's sable locks.

"Now," The redhead pursed her lips as she snuck the ribbons at the lass' sweater.

"I guess no one can recognize you with that kind of get up."

With that said, she took the raven's hand and went to see what the city has to offer in the midst of strife.

 _I wonder what Umi is up to now?_

* * *

In the opposite side of the bank, a grey schemed type 89 medium tank screeched through a narrow gas infested road; followed by a platoon of naval infantry that kept up with its slow and steady pace. At its helm, Lieutenant Sonoda led with sheer resolve; determined to put an end to a conflict that took the life of her dearly betrothed. It had already been two months since that fateful event, and her wish for revenge had never been stronger as victory drew close.

"Stay alert," She turned to her men, "For once we cross into the other side of this district, there will be no stopping us in achieving the inevitable victory."

Dogged resistance coming from the Kuomintang's elites had severely upset Imperial command's timetable of operations; and they fear that Chiang Kai Shek's little show of disparity could turn the foreigner's sympathy against their own, so they must put an end to it before their leaders may decide to rally behind the Chinese cause. One of their main objectives was to purge Zhabei of the NRA's German trained 88th Division, an elite unit responsible for giving Yokosuka's rikusentai cadres and the assisting 11th IJA a hard time to press on with their advance. Provisions were already running low, with their supply lines over extended through Shanghai's maze of battered buildings and littered streets. To make things worse, snipers became a frequent threat to any attempts of resupply; a dilemma which resulted to most of the spearhead units cut from the rest of the Japanese armed forces, with Yokosuka 8th being considered as one of those lost commands. Detached from their parent regiment without the promise of reinforcements and direct artillery fire, the men of 5th platoon placed their faith upon the leadership of this one of the kind lass; and the berserker whom everyone referred to as Umi's little devil.

With their eyes set upon the ruins of a residential block, the marines aimed their rifles with bayonets bare; while the tank's anchor adorned casemate swivelled precariously from left to right, on the ready to fire at the slightest hint of movement from within.

 _I wish this chemical fog can help us gain more ground without the risk of running into those pesky snipers and suicide bombers._

Umi then felt her heart skipped a beat when she remembered the private who walked into the direction of the enemy lines.

 _Nico you stubborn little prick, I wish you are alright._

Her hand trembled as she held onto Seishiro's revolver, while the pair of engagement rings tied on the girl's necklace glimmered from the faint beams of sunlight which had seeped through eyelets on the toxic cloud.

 _Seishiro . . ._

But right before they could take another step, a shadow appeared from a distance; together with the familiar war cry which sent the soldiers at edge.

"Wansui, Guomindang!" The man yelled, and the scene in front of them suddenly erupted into a flurry of gunfire and screams. The marines immediately scrambled for cover, then did their best to defend their only means of artillery support from suicide bombers and bundled grenades known throughout as bale charges.

Bullets immediately kicked up dirt and bits of stone, while the ear piercing sound of ricochets filled the air with its unsavoury tune. Their type 96 light machineguns rattled while it fired in quick succession, while grunts advanced under the cover of their respective peers and hurled grenades which blew up in fervid bursts. Men screamed as their bodies were torn apart, while others cried in sultry tears up until their breaths were heard no more.

"Hurry!" Umi and her men rushed through a corridor which led to a section of low wall. The type 89 I-Go took a brief pause to fire its main gun, while its chassis fixed type 92 popped some rounds which arced as it flew towards enemy lines. And much to their dismay, a suicide bomber snuck from an alleyway and slid under its cast iron hull to detonate a landmine strapped on his chest. It was all over in a second, with everyone else looking up with disappointment set upon their faces. All that's left of the type 89 was its scorched hull and a pillar of black smoke that billowed with an acrid stench.

 _Goddamnit, these guys sure don't know how to quit!_

Left to fend for themselves, her men's morale plummeted drastically with others already given up hope and huddled with covered ears. Umi was aghast when she remembered her former self, a weakling who stuttered and cried while the world around her collapsed.

 _Now I see why Nico despised cowards like me before._

Faced with a responsibility to save her men from the jaws of death, Lieutenant Sonoda paced through the firing line and brandished her revolver to make her presence known; unfazed by the threat of sharpshooters who may have had their sights trained for a suitable target like an officer.

"Hold the line! Don't let terror get the best of you!"

She then came across a man who hugged the rifle with all his might and stuttered as bullets whizzed by.

"Come on soldier," The bluenet approached him with a smile, "We will get out of this city in one piece."

"B-but . . ." He tried to reason out, while his nearby peers watched in anticipation; nervous that he'll be shot on the spot for cowardice. But much to their amazement, the lieutenant reached for his right hand and helped him up.

"Do you have someone waiting for you under the cherry tree, private?"

"My fiancée, ma'am." the man replied in earnest.

With that heard, Umi diverted her gaze for a moment as memories of her fallen lover reminded the lass of their promise.

 _I should be the one waiting for him to come home . . . but as it turned out, he's going to be waiting for me on the gates of the afterlife. Seishiro, please wait a little longer . . . I'll make good of my duty as an officer to lead these men home._

She then gathered her resolve and placed his hand near the trigger where it truly belonged.

"Now listen up." Umi squinted at him to prove her point, "If you want to see her again, then help me fight them off. . ." the officer then tapped on his helm and winked, "I cannot win this battle without you, soldier. So please bear with me for a bit!"

Upon realizing his mistake, the private raised his brows and responded "Hai! I will!" then crouched to take a shot at their unseen adversaries.

The rest of the faint hearted troopers listened through it all and did the same, with the problem of low morale solved by the girl's mere promise of safe return. But Umi's work of reuniting her men's resolve was still far from over, and she made her way through the crossfire to the very front where the elite Kwantung crew seemed to be enjoying themselves with the battle at hand.

They were in the middle of busting a machinegun nest with all six of them lined on its side, with Sato situated right next to the enemy's water cooled maxim that swerved on a steady arc from the an apartment window. Sonoda decided to take some cover and observed what they were about to do, and gasped when she saw the last man; corporal Nishizawa, smash the primer of a type 91 grenade against the limestone wall which ignited its nine second fuse.

"Hey Ota," the last man whispered, "Take a stick and get ready to smoke!"

He then passed it onto the guy right next to him who removed his mask and used its spark to light a cigarette.

"Mhmmm, there's nothing better than a good whiff of taxpayer's money."

The private then tossed it onto his buddy who also did the same, while Umi couldn't believe how relaxed they were especially at a situation so dire and dim.

 _These people are just too damn crazy! It's like every battle is a walk in the park for them!_

The tiny piece of high explosive finally made it in the hands of the wily old sergeant, who then took a cigar from his pocket and mused,

"If Nico was here, she'd be pissed for not having to light her cigarette with this shit."

He then took a leisurely sip as it sparked, and threw it just in time for it to blow up. The occupants flew from its confines all tattered in shrapnel and gore, while the crew simply moved on to search for another hapless target.

"Sato!" She then called at the sergeant who was on the middle of reloading his rifle, "Tell your lackeys to ready their grenades! We'll definitely need some of your men's mad skills to win the day!"

The dubious petty officer then closed its bolt with a smirk and replied, "You could always count on us, ma'am!"

With her first objective reached, the bluenet turned towards the marines who also strayed at a nearby block; all holed up behind a collapsed brick wall.

 _Those greenhorns definitely need a bit of coordination!_

Dirt peppered her guise as she ran, while the rest of the Kwantung crew covered her advance with volleys aimed towards the direction where they saw faint reflections of light.

 _They need me, and I need them! I promised to get them home before Christmas, so I must make good of it and lead them out of this wretched city!_

The officer made her way through the street littered with trampled sandbags and barbed wire, when a faint flash glittered in the leftmost corner of her eye.

 _Kuso . . ._ (Shit)

It was then followed by the mauser's distinctive bark, but Umi was able to leap into a rubble pile at the very last minute but grazed her right ear from the hard landing.

"You fucking cowards! Show yourselves!" The bluenet then winced when she felt her ear throbbed at the slightest touch.

 _I wish Kotori was here to assist us with her sharpshooting._

The nationalists advanced through the ruins under the cover of their snipers and heavy machineguns, while the rest of Sonoda's platoon remained pinned and distraught from the ferocity of the Chinese ambush. It became apparent that they were heavily outnumbered and hopelessly trapped within the city's unforgiving maze, but the girl already knew that with their abundance in numbers; the NRA severely lacked weaponry, with some only issued a spear or the iconic tapered edge broadsword called _dadao_.

 _A simple charge can easily tip the battle in our favour. Besides, only those from the 88_ _th_ _are issued guns; and the way I see it based on their frequency of fire, I could tell that they are only close to a mere platoon._

She then took a subtle peek from her refuge and saw shadows making their way through the thick caustic smoke, and that is when Umi saw the chance to feint her troop's annihilation. She raised a hand up and clenched its fist, a sign which Sato and the greenhorn's sergeant understood; then complied with the suppression of their fire, and lie in wait for the enemy to draw near.

 _That's right, just a little closer._

Her heart thumped almost to the point of leaving her chest, while her eyes glistened with sheer delight as the shadows turned into discernable figures who wore gas masks and light grey uniforms.

 _I knew it, they're just conscripts!_

Almost all of them were armed with broadswords, with a select few having spears and the cumbersome polearm known as the guan dao.

 _I pray that I'll survive this clash in one piece, for I now bear the child that my lover bestowed upon me._

The lieutenant then mustered her guts and drew her family heirloom, "There are only two ways we could get out of here, and it's either victory or death!"

With revolver on the left and sword on the other, she propped a foot against a collapsed sector of wall and screamed,

"Tenno heika, banzai!"

A glint of light suddenly appeared from one of the nearby windows, but Sato had already infiltrated into their shoddy defences and shot the sniper point blank. The defenders were taken by surprise, as the marines suddenly emerged from the ruins with guns blazing and lungs on the verge of collapse from all that screaming.

"Korose!" (Kill!) A Japanese private yelled as he fired a shot, before he went to meet blades with his untrained contemporary. Most of the nationalists fell from the initial volley that was then followed by a gruesome bout of melee which pitted the soldiers face to face with no holds barred.

Umi threw herself into the fray and with one quick slash, eliminated a couple of young men who were foolish enough to raise their swords against her.

"For the glory of the empire we will prevail!" She yelled, and fell a few more grunts that came her way.

 _This'll be easy._

They immediately recognized the officer's distinctive olive drab and ganged up in hopes of picking up a bounty, but the lass was very quick with her reflexes that in the blink of an eye; they found themselves bleeding from the waist.

"You guys still have a lot to learn about swordsmanship."

She simply walked past them and smirked, "But sadly, there won't be another chance for all of you to study the craft and try it out with me."

The men gasped as their spines shuddered and snapped, while Sonoda sheathed her sword as another batch approached; but this time, from all around.

 _A fatal blow is all it takes to end one's life._

Umi closed her eyes and lifted the heirloom at the level of her sight, then rid the mind of all the madness wrought by discord and strife.

 _Father, give me peace as I fight for the glory of our land._

Then with a subtle breath that came from a moment's reprieve, the bluenet drew it just enough for its blade to shine upon her guise.

"Lai giri . . ." She whispered, and opened her honey glazed orbs which glistened like that of an eagle's own.

" . . . May rain."

The girl felt that time stood to a standstill as she gently spun for a sweep, but in reality; it all happened within the blink of an eye, with all her assailants eliminated right before their feet had touched the ground. They lay around her with severed heads, while Umi wiped her face clean of gore and gave them a favour of praying for their souls.

 _May these whispers find its way to your ears, kami-sama; and give these fallen warriors their much deserved rest._

With that done, she looked at the sky and pondered:

"What is this war all about anyways?"

The horrid sounds of suffering dragged the lass back into the realm of harsh reality, and the future commander of the eighth rikusentai watched in shock as the scene of utter despair unfolded right in front of her eyes.

 _But why? Why the need for all these bloodshed?_

Her grip tightened as their shrieks echoed through the ruins like a twisted tune, while the sight of their mangled remains churned her innards to the point that she knelt and purged its contents on her mask.

 _This is just . . . sick._

Then a shadow loomed up front, and Umi felt a bit of relief when she saw that it was her nation's colours propped by the ruthless Kwantung guards on the building where snipers and machinegunners had built their roost. The battle was over after it displayed its crimson rays that shone in all its glory, while the republic's white sun gently descended with the breeze to rest with the men who died for its sake. All of those who remained used the cover of chlorine gas to escape, while the wounded decided to commit suicide by its fumes to save themselves from the hands of the empire's elite.

The marines raised their weapons with jubilant resolve and cried, "Tenno heika, banzai!" in repetitive chants; while Lieutenant Sonoda hung her head and murmured,

"All these for a piece of dirt."

"Ma'am!" one of the soldiers then helped her up, and the bluenet cracked a wry when she recognized the guy as the one who has a lady waiting for him underneath the shade of a cherry tree.

"We did it! we won!" He declared, and Umi just tapped his helmet then commended his deed with a very frail tone:

"You've done well, trooper. Thanks for standing by me."

She then stared at Sato and the rest of the gang who drank bottles of much coveted champagne up above.

"Those Kantogun quacks sure are a force to be reckoned with." The bluenet remarked with a snort.

"They were drafted from the elites after all . . ." The man then looked , "Uhm, so what now ma'am? A bridge is all that separates us from the rest of Zhabei."

"What about it?"

He paused for a moment to think of his words, but Umi felt exasperated and pried

"What about it, private?"

"Aren't we going to cross it while their engineers are still further into their rear?"

"No." She replied with stern resolve, "We'll stay and mourn for all who died during the duration of this campaign."

Lieutenant Sonoda then watched as the sun perched itself behind her nation's colours and mused,

"We will also prepare for the final push into its western district with the help of the army and its mechanized corps."

She then turned to take her leave, but before she did; the lass left him with these words:

"So for now, rest well. We'll have one last battle ahead of us tomorrow."

But beneath her calm facade, Umi was heavily burdened with the tide of regret.

 _This bitter feeling of regret . . . Is this what Nico felt while we talked last night?_

* * *

Meanwhile in a bench situated next to a bustling boulevard, the rowdy seaman enjoyed a cup of vanilla ice cream topped with chocolate swirls. Her feet swayed with frivolous beats as her sharpened teeth bit its soft and flavourful husk, while those beautiful set of orbs were set upon the display of sweets which shimmered behind a store's pane of glass. Children giggled and nagged at their parents as they passed, while people from all walks of life engaged in random chatter with warm heartfelt smiles set upon their masks. It was a scene far from the life Nico had led since then, and a world away from the war torn landscape sprawled on the other side of the river's bend.

 _So this is what it feels to live a normal life?_

"Mom!" A boy suddenly pointed at the raven, "This kid looks like a doll!"

The lady then stared for a bit and gasped, "Oh my, she does!"

 _Who're you calling a kid and a doll?!_

Then much to Nico's utter surprise, he leaned to take a closer look at those luscious pair of rubies.

"That's enough, Sean."

"But mom . . ." He griped.

"Let's leave the little girl alone." She then walked away and said, "We're already running late for your recital, so we must hurry before they'll remove you from the roster of participants!"

With that said, the boy looked at the lass with a mischievous wry; then pinched her nose with a pull.

"Ow! Hey!"

The assailant cackled as he ran off, while Nico reeled from his sudden attack and spilled vanilla all over her shirt.

"Why that stupid little shit . . ."

"Nico!" Mrs. Nishikino ran from across the street, then knelt and wiped the stains with a piece of cloth.

"What happened?" She furrowed her brows, but the little girl decided to keep it to herself and replied "My fingers slipped."

Unable to do away with her worries, the redhead cupped her cheeks then remarked "Your nose, it's bleeding."

"I'm alright." She snapped, but the host cleaned the crimson blot with her thumb and duly stuffed it with cotton. Embarrassed by such a motherly act, Yazawa covered her eyes with the bonnet's seam and mumbled.

"Geez, I told you I'll be fine."

The lady giggled at her response then gave the lass a lollipop she bought from the nearby confectionery store. Surprised, Nico looked at its multicoloured swirls for a second and thought:

 _I wanted cookies, but this'll do._

The kind hearted matriarch then held the raven's cold hand and led her through the crowd. Nico couldn't hide her joy any longer and chuckled as she went, for it was the very first time this lost child felt how it is to be loved.

 _If she was my mother, then I would ask for nothing more._

It was already past eight, and the two found themselves at an intersection where a lone lamppost stood. The air was filled with the familiar scent of meat, and the raven turned her head for a bit to see a bistro; packed to the brim with housewives who flocked to avail of its early morn discount. But what really caught the little girl's eye was the building situated right next to it; a three storey bare brick apartment that had a single slow firing Bofors 20mm anti air on its roof, manned by soldiers who were a tad taller than the usual Chinese infantry and wore the wide brimmed helm called brodies.

 _Tsk, white devils . . . what're they doing here?_

Nico's distrust towards Americans stemmed from her inability to distinguish them from the Russians, the Empire's foremost adversary on the Manchurian frontier. Years of combat against its border forces hardened this little girl's heart, for during that time; atrocities were committed by both sides, with Nico's hometown razed to the ground by the soviets and its inhabitants buried alive.

 _Moshimo was raided right after I joined the Imperial guards . . . And there, I saw the villager's rotten bound hands sticking out of the permafrost. Those Russkies, I can never forgive them for what they've done to all those innocents._

As she reminisced on those distant memories, A fair skinned gunnery sergeant stopped right next to Mrs. Nishikino and removed his helm with a very crisp, "Good morning, ma'am!" followed with a wink.

"Ah, Bill!" She beamed, by which the old man noticed the red eyed girl and remarked,

"My, missus Nishikino . . ." He glanced at Nico a grin, "This kid is absolutely adorable!"

"I know right?" She chuckled, "Her name is Nico, by the way."

"Oh, is that so?" he then waved at him and said, "Well, hel-lo Ni-co!"

She stared at him for a minute, then noticed that his accent was kind of light compared to the deep and heavy vocal range like what the Russians had.

 _That's odd, he looks like a Russ but doesn't speak like one._

"Hel-lo . . ." The obnoxious foreigner stressed, "Earth calling to Ni-co!"

But the child tried to keep her cool and sucked the lollipop in hand.

 _Try placing your hand on me and you'll have this piece of candy stuck on your throat._

"My . . ." He faced his acquaintance with concern, "Is she deaf?"

The redhead then rubbed her crown much to the raven's chagrin and shrugged, "She's just a very shy little girl!"

"Ahh, yes!" the soldier clasped his hands, "and that's what makes her even more adorable!"

 _Adorable?! Me?! You better watch your mouth you goddamn paedophile, or I'm going to kick your knee!_

"Your little tomato would be very pleased to have her adopted as a sister!"

 _Wait, what? WHAT?!_

She unintentionally bit a large piece of candy as her pupils widened at the man's careless chatter, by which the woman affirmed with a playful tone.

"Of course! Maki needs someone she could talk to with and look after!"

The two then exchanged some bursts of laughter while Nico stood dumbfounded and paled from fright.

 _You must be fucking kidding me. . ._

The thought of having a new home and family shocked this one of a kind imperial berserker, as it came too soon for her to comprehend.

 _What about Umi and my friends from the Kantogun? I can't just leave them while a war is going on! There may be times when I clashed with that blue haired idiot, but I could feel that she cares for me too . . . And even if Sato treats me like a walking anvil for their grenades, he's already like a father to me; with the rest of the crew as a dysfunctional family of sorts. . ._

 _I can't just turn my back upon my comrades, but refusing Missus Violet's offer to give me a peaceful life in their stead may cause regrets in the end as well. . ._

Torn between her duty as a soldier and the innermost desire for a normal life, Yazawa held Mrs. Nishikino's handwhich caused the latter to look at her and ask, "Nico? What is it?"

The raven latched her fuzzy pair of crimsons against those lustrous violets, but didn't mutter a single word as her mind was bogged by concerns and most of all; the mission to avenge her fallen kin.

 _If I take her offer, then what would become of my quest to redeem my sibling's dignity? They died without a fight, and the scientist who did it must pay with her life._

Nico then hung her head, a gesture which the lady understood all too well.

"Sarge . . ." the redhead faced her friend with a smile, "Maybe adoption could wait."

"Why's that?"

"Because," She stroked the lass' locks, "There are some things that Nico needs to sort out first."

The old gunnery sergeant glanced at the black haired maiden and shrugged, "Well, if you need someone to arrange the papers . . . don't forget to give good ol' Bill a visit, okay?"

"Okay!"

He then wore his green flushed brodie and went to inspect the foreigner's legation that was considered as a safe zone for refugees, and should be devoid of troops from the warring factions. A gust of wind blew past, while they watched in silence as NRA's grey schemed armoured cars passed by the fringes of the international quarter. An eerie shadow then covered their proximity as a formation of Japanese Army Air force's twin engine Ki-21's flew by, all painted in white with the characteristic red sun wholly displayed on its wings. The American's anti air emplacement soon came to life as their gunners adjusted its barrel towards the group of lumbering Imperial craft, while those who were on the street had their rifles on the ready to shoot once the Chinese tried to breach the designated neutral zone. Civilians on the other hand ignored the subtle show of force, and went to enjoy their day in a city divided by strife. It was over as soon as it started, and the marines armed with springfields and tommies breathed a sigh of relief and sat on their posts.

"Sorry for the way I acted Missus Violet." Nico muttered like a desolate pup.

"No, it's alright. I understand that your heart still belongs to your cause." She then looked at her with motherly compassion.

With everything back to the way it was, Mrs. Nishikino crossed the street and tried her best to maintain a sunny disposition despite the gravity of the situation at hand; while the young marine walked with a heavy heart, worried that the fighting may spill and engulf the entire district in flames.

 _The appearance of bombers indicates that the army is just close by, and I fear that Maki will lose her home once they manage to cross the river._

They came at another crossing where engineers were on the rush to set up barbed wire and tank traps on its streets; a drum sized slab of concrete which they hoped could halt a Type 94 Ha-Go's advance, the most prolific light tank fielded by both imperial services. But they made sure that the main road was open to funnel their mechanized corps into a chokehold, where a 105mm howitzer was placed at its very edge. A truck stopped in front of them with a screech, and soldiers came out with sandbags on their backs. An officer emerged from its front seat and directed his grunts to place it next to shop windows that faced the main road; while others helped the engineers transport the dozen ton concrete traps from its truck.

Nico on the other hand was appalled at how oblivious the people were; as they just walked past and watched while the uniformed men worked their backs to prepare for the impending Japanese advance into what remained of their city.

 _These people, it's like everything these guys were doing are nothing more than the norm for them . . ._

Then, a group of men who wore a vest which bristled with stick grenades disembarked from a nearby truck; and the raven saw them laugh like they haven't got a care in the world as they passed. They entered the shops to await their adversary's tanks, and would burst out its windows the moment a mere shadow of it emerged from a corner.

 _I pity them for taking the responsibility to blow themselves up just to save this condemned city. This is stupid, there is nothing noble with committing suicide even if it isn't a lost cause._

The roofs and apartment buildings nearby were very much alive with snipers, while grunts completed the sector lockdown by stacking sandbags in between the traps to impede the infantry's advance.

She felt her hostess' grip tightened at the sight, by which the girl leaned at her shoulder and whispered

"Are you scared?"

"Come," Nishikino ignored her inquiry and led her once more, "There is one more thing I'd like to show you before this day ends."

"Where to?" She asked, as they tread with frantic steps.

"To a place where the grass remains green throughout the year."

* * *

As the imperial marines mourned for their fallen comrades, Lieutenant Sonoda took the time to wander by the ruins of a textile mill where a nationalist flag lay tattered and burnt on its floor. She was all covered in blood from the clash beforehand, while her sword glistened with crimson blots all over its edge. The bluenet's eyes looked distraught and confused, with her resolve almost on the verge of being torn apart.

Gunfire erupted from a distance as regulars encountered the retreating Chinese forces, while bombs whistled and blew with a thunderous roar; followed by the horrid shriek of metal and bricks which echoed through its streets. Umi struggled as she breathed, and her mask's respirator did little to protect the lass from the stench of death and decay.

For a moment, she quivered as her feet trudged through pieces of glass and bone; then stopped when her amber orbs caught sight of a child soldier who emerged from the rubble, armed with a mauser.

"Riben guizi!" (Japanese demon) He yelled as he cranked its bolt.

But the officer was unfazed by the threat posed by this young man, and she held a hand out to soothe his anger; with the sword lowered but ready to strike once everything went awry.

"Don't be scared now. . . I mean you no harm." She approached with deft steps, but the minor bared his teeth as he aimed for the head. Then with a slow pull of the trigger, a brief flash of light followed by a shot rang from its confines; but Sonoda remained unscathed, with the child impaled on the edge of her blade.

"I'm sorry." The bluenet hushed, while his eyes rolled towards her hazels that shone behind the mask's thin pane of glass. He gasped with desperate beats, but with the last ounce of strength he had left within those spindly pair of arms; the child removed the straps off the lieutenant's emotionless mask, and revealed a lady who mourned for his loss.

"I'm sorry . . ." Umi repeated with frail resolve, and withdrew the sword which finally laid this tragic soul to rest on the mill's cold, dirt ridden floor.

 _When would all this bloodshed come to an end?_

She thought while her pupils trembled from the sight of her bloodied hands, followed by a flash back of the fallen lover who lay limp on the old factory's floor; with cerulean drab drenched in a pool of the deepest red.

 _Seishiro . . ._

"I pray that you will find peace on the other side of this world."

Umi then turned to pick the flag up and draped it upon the child's cold husk.

"Lucky are those who are already dead . . ." the officer muttered as she wore her mask, "For only they know the end of war."

 _But those who remain will forever bear the burden of reliving their final moments up until the day they die._

The bluenet then glued her gaze up front when she heard some footsteps paired with the familiar rattle of a rifle's bolt. Then a figure limped through a collapsed section of wall, a nationalist sniper who had a familiar tinge of silver under its cap. Umi squinted for a bit and recognized that it was Captain Minami, all battered and bruised with left arm drooped and soiled from a nasty cut by its shoulder.

"K-Kotori?!" She ran to her aid, just as the guardsman lost grip of her rifle and dropped to the lieutenant's slender arms.

"Umi? Is that you?" The brunette replied, and the peerless marine nodded as tears came to fog up the glass. She was already frail with eyes on the verge of being shut out, but the captain cupped her friend's cheek and smirked.

"Where had you been? You're supposed to be in Suzhou as of this moment!"

"Honoka . . ." She calmly replied, "It's because Honoka is on the opposite bank."

"What?" Sonoda gritted her teeth out of sheer worry, "You should've told me about it!"

"Gomen . . ." Minami cooed amidst the pain she felt, "The last thing we want is a worrywart barging through the river . . ." then gave a gentle tap to her cheek and jested, "For we all know that you're the one who makes rash decisions once worry sets in. . ."

"While you're just as stupid and stubborn like that carrot headed bruiser!" Umi spat, then helped her up by the shoulder.

"Does that make you any better than us, Umi?"

"Oh shut up."

The two then inched their way out of the building when a biplane whizzed by, it was an open cockpit polikarpov I-15; a Russian made fighter supplied to the almost non-existent Chinese Airforce. It was a plane built out of canvas and aluminium sheets, washed in olive drab with the white sun and blue sky roundel painted on its pair of wings and near its tail end. It flew at treetop level, and Umi hid behind a pillar as unearthly hums followed close by.

"What's going on?" Kotori tightened her grasp at the bluenet's arm, "What's with all those weird noises?"

"Shush, we got ROCAFs flying around here."

"Huh?"

Then a string of bullets hummed past, followed by the characteristic "woodpecker" knocks that came from a distance.

 _That sound . . . could it be?_

It didn't take long for the aircraft in question emerged from the thick chemical cloud, it was a pair of Japanese A5m's; a fixed undercarriage, open cockpit, single winged naval fighter in full duralumin construction armed with a pair of type 89's on its engine compartment. They were painted in the navy's overall scheme of white, except for the tail section washed with the eye straining hue of red; indicative of the carrier force it hailed from. One of the elliptical winged craft flew right above them, and the beige haired marksman was mesmerized by its pair of red sun roundels which gleamed from the faint beams of light that reflected from its fixed landing gears.

Umi then took her revolver and remarked, "First fleet's strike force sure have their hands tied."

She then picked her friend up with a wheeze, and straggled her way through the broken pavement right next to a section of bare brick wall.

"Umi, I'm tired." The guardsman whined like meek little lamb.

"Goddamnit Kotori," She spat as her legs buckled from the latter's weight, "This is isn't the best time to whine because of your stupidity!"

"Boo, you're so mean."

The bluenet just rolled her eyes and hissed, "None of this would've happened if you had told me about it in the first place!"

Minami then stared at her with a playful smirk, and Umi's pupils shrunk when she saw a faint glint of light reflected upon the taupe's amber orbs. It came from a rubble pile to her right, but before she could even react; Kotori freed her right hand then snatched her lover's revolver and fired a shot which pierced through the sniper's helm with a very loud clang.

Dazed by the sudden turn of events, the lieutenant blinked for a bit as she faced her peer who chuckled as she twirled the pistol by its fingertip.

"Don't be surprised," the brunette mused, "they don't call me eagle eyes for nothing."

Umi narrowed her brows from the marksman's statement and retorted with nothing short from a fit of envy.

"I already knew that someone's hiding on that rubble pile behind me . . ." She then pursed her lips, "It's just that my reflexes were hampered by a load of dead weight . . . that's all!"

"Oh really now?" Kotori then turned its handle over to Sonoda who took it with a squint.

"Yeah! And you better believe me!" the latter barked as she resumed to lead their pace.

The beige haired officer laughed at the way Umi tried to cover her weakness, but the marine pressed a finger against her shoulder's wound which caused the guardsman to yelp with a very high pitch.

"Serves you right." She chuckled, by which Minami suddenly gave her a head butt which knocked the bluenet's cap and sent them crashing to the pavement. The swordsman sat with hands set upon her brows, wincing as it throbbed from the blow given by the mischievous marksman who leaned on her chest with a wry.

"Kotori!" Umi cried with flustered cheeks, "What the hell is wrong with you?!" she then felt her brows for a bit and gasped when a bulge was found just above her left eye. Meanwhile, the Captain looked at the blue haired maiden with a dreamy set of ambers and cooed,

"Just like old times, eh?"

Sonoda paused for a bit then smiled, "Yes, just like old times."

The latter looked at her childhood friend and wrapped an arm around her waist, "If Honoka was here, she'll definitely pounce and wrestle with us . . . and you're the one who'll bear the brunt of it all, Kotori."

"She's quite a ruffian . . ." Kotori mused, by which Umi chuckled for a bit and remarked "But a very kind soul with a heart of gold."

 _And my best friend too._

The two then closed their eyes and took a well earned nap, woefully oblivious of the fact that they were out in the open; on a neighbourhood filled with ruined bungalows where sharpshooters may have lurked, with the dull grey mist of noxious gas just a few metres above their heads.

 _Honoka, me and Kotori are waiting for you to return. I wish you are safe, so we could come together and laugh for old time's sake._

* * *

"Nico . . ." The redhead's voice soared through the depths of the raven's mind. She opened her eyes, and saw Mrs. Nishikino's vibrant guise which looked down on her with a set of lovely violets.

"Missus Violet." Nico then sat and panned at a landscape still untouched by the curse of war. They were on top of a grassy hill which overlooked the divided city and the turquoise waters of Hangzhou bay. At a distance, she could see the silvery hides of the cruiser Izumo and the first fleet's carrier Akagi moored at Huangpu's western bank; while imperial dive bombers zipped about like flies on a rotting carcass, followed by the thunderous roar of bombs which dissipated throughout its fog laced skyline.

 _Everything looks so small up here . . ._

The demon rolled those rubies to the endless sea of grass which swayed with the wind's sorrowful tune, while the forest at its feet whistled with leaves carried to an unknown fate; far from the demented sounds of war that drew close with the passage of time.

"As for your question hours earlier. . ." the widow breathed out a sigh, "You are just a kid, you've still got a lot to go and you deserve to live a life far from the harrowing reins of despair."

"But . . ." Nico pursed her lips as guilt took its toll, "I am the demon you should loathe and despise, I killed your countrymen and . . ."

"I don't mind." She embraced the little girl with all her might, "It's because I saw that there's some good left in you."

"Still . . ." The lass tightened the grip on her hostess' arms and tried to reason out, but the lady stroked her sable locks and said,

"Each of us has reasons why we do such things, and Nico . . ." the widow held the child's supple cheeks and gave a gentle tap on her nose, "Was there something that pushed you to join the empire's cause?"

"I . . ." the latter paused for a bit, and images of her fallen siblings flashed as her reflection shone upon the lady's orbs.

"Onee-chan!" Kokoa's voice called out, and her rubies were suddenly covered by a film of tears which caused the lass to stutter:

"I came . . ." the marine averted her gaze, "to avenge my sibling's deaths. . ."

"I see."

"They meant the world to me, so I joined the Empire's cause with the premise of satisfying my desire for revenge." Yazawa then buried her head on the redhead's chest and whimpered, "I have blood on my hands, and eyes that have seen a lifetime's worth of deaths . . ."

With that heard, the lady kissed her forehead and cooed "You are still young, and there's a lot of time chance for you to change . . ."

The world suddenly fell silent after she spoke, and the raven turned to see pillars of smoke scattered all throughout the frontlines.

"Maki used to come here after school. . ."

Mrs. Nishikino then placed her hands on top of hers, and Nico felt a surge of warmth that seeped through her cold, callous soul.

"And she prays that people would get along well, so that the world will finally have its much deserved peace."

 _Maki, you're so naïve. I've been through a lot of strife since I was young, and trust me . . . your wish for peace is nothing more than a pipe dream._

"She also carried a keyboard which her father gave during her fifth birthday." The woman then sat beside, and Nico watched as her sunny disposition changed to that of a housewife who yearned for days long gone. Her amethysts glimmered once more, and tears finally fell in subtle drops around the folds of her cheeks.

"He's the one who taught her that music heals even the deepest of wounds . . . And that even if someone's already long gone, their presence will still be felt with every stroke of the key or the melody of its strings."

The marine couldn't believe what she had heard, and felt her heart was crushed at how innocent the little redhead was.

"He was a good man, and I miss him dearly. . ." She forced a smile in the midst of despair and looked at the supple blades of grass that caressed her feet, "And whenever I listen to my daughter playing his favourite piece, I could feel that he's just around the corner . . . giggling like a mischievous old runt he was."

"The piece . . ." Nico furrowed her brows, "Was that the one with Japanese lyrics on it?"

The redhead faced the lass and softly replied "Yes" then averted her gaze towards the rustic panorama of apartments and towering spires.

"Actually, my husband's family was an immigrant from your land."

 _So that explains why your family name is Nishikino._

"And we met while I was making a news article about what life is like for cadets in Shanghai's public safety college, the premier academy for police officers."

The woman felt her cheek as she reminisced those days, while Yazawa huddled her legs with interest piqued at the story of how Maki came to be.

"I know you kids today could raise a brow from it, but it was love at first sight!"

 _For your information, I'm not a kid._

"Since then, I always passed by its premises with hopes of seeing him . . ." She then chuckled for a bit and beamed, "And guess what? He also volunteered to clean the toilets every afternoon just so he could talk to me while fetching water next to its cyclone fence!"

"Heh, he sure is one very lucky man!" Nico remarked as she wiped her tears with a sleeve, while the matriarch flexed her arms and lay down with a wry.

"More like I'm the one who's lucky to have him, Nico."

The Japanese grunt glanced at her for a bit then laid right next to her and asked, "How old is Maki anyways?"

"She's fourteen," Mrs. Nishikino turned her gaze at the raven, "and you?"

"I'm seventeen, actually. But my body resembles like that of a ten year old." She followed it with a smirk.

"Oh."

The two then stared at the sky when shadows flew past, and it was a flight of two engine heavy bombers arranged on a pair of V formations of twelve planes each. Nico recognized the aircraft right away due to a pair of fins which arched from its tail's central aileron, with roundels bordered with white; and a body scheme of green with ashen underside.

"They're a flight G3M Rikkoes, probably from Sasebo."

"Sasebo? Where's that?"

"That's the naval district in Nagasaki."

"Wow!" The redhead beamed, "You're very good at this! And how about those bombers we saw back at the shopping district?"

"I can't see their markings, but based on its creamy colour scheme . . . they're definitely the Army's Ki-21's from northern command."

The lady furrowed her brows after the twin tailed demons disappeared from their line of sight, then yawned and puckered those luscious pair of lips as she felt tired from a half day's worth of travel.

"You know," Nico groaned with a sigh, "I am very much impressed at how you people got used to all those blasts happening just a few blocks away from your homes."

"Actually . . ." She turned to prop an elbow against the grass and leaned, "We're just trying our very best to resume with our normal lives."

"But do you consider leaving once the fighting spills over that bridge?"

"No." Nishikino bluntly replied, then rolled on her back to face the ashen sky with a jowl.

"But why?" The invader crawled towards her and stared into her orbs with sheer concern.

"I can't leave this place, Nico. . ." She paused for a moment to listen at the wailing chirps of crickets from the forest nearby, then brushed those crimson locks aside to make way for tears which flowed by the sides of her eyes.

"For this is my home . . ." She whispered, then nudged her brows close to the child's own and said with a voice so calm and pure, "the place where I was born, and the world closest to my heart."

 _Home . . . The place I yearned for all these years._

Dusk soon came to take daylight's post, and Nico stood underneath the dim incandescent shade of a lamppost in front of the limestone walls of a school. She carried with her a stuffed bunny, while those lustrous strands of sable were fashioned once more to a lovely pair of ponytails tied in velvet red ribbons. Mrs. Nishikino also gave her a valuable parting gift aside from the things at hand; and those are the memories which the raven will cherish for the rest of her life.

"I promised that I will return when this war is over." The little girl cooed with a grin, then hugged the plush and sniffed its lithe, pinkish fur.

 _This is my first time having a stuffed toy like this. For back when I was younger, only a doll fashioned from bits of rag, buttons and reed kept me at peace._

"Nico?" A very familiar voice called from behind, and the lass immediately turned towards its source then smiled after she recognized the figure clothed in the most beautiful piece of gown which sparkled like the stars above.

 _Maki . . ._

The protégé threw herself at the raven and gave a hug so tight, that Nico felt her spine had snapped. But nonetheless, she laid a hand to rest upon the girl's reddish crown; and reciprocated the deed with a pair of stuffy, yet beautiful set of orbs.

 _You're very beautiful tonight._

"Say . . ." Maki separated then placed a hand on her chest, "So, how was my performance?"

Unwilling to disappoint her newfound friend, the little girl faked a smile and lied, "It was very sentimental and well played."

"Really?" The redhead raised her brows, by which she nodded in response.

 _I'm sorry, but I lied._

"Now, that's good to know!" She then clasped her linen wrapped hands with a muffled clap, "Thanks for standing by!"

Maki averted her gaze after that, while the marine kept up with her act and retained that deceptive little smug; while all around them, people whispered and cackled about as they went home together with their children. Nico stared at them with concern set upon her eyes, woeful at the fact that the Imperial forces would start their final offensive before the break of dawn; with renewed savagery, and much bitter resolve.

 _These children don't have the slightest idea what living with fear is like . . . while their parents did a very good job at shielding them from the harsh reality which unfolded right in the outskirts of their beloved city._

She then took a glance at her hostess' little angel and thought,

 _But the question is, until when could they keep them wallowing in the dark?_

The demon was snapped of it when the protégé reached for her hand and beamed, "Come on, let's go home! Mom's already waiting for us!"

"Maki, actually . . ." The grunt gently lets loose of her hold, and winced as the juvenile's warm, slender digits slid by her palm.

"I waited for you here to say goodbye."

"Oh. . ." Nishikino frowned then clasped her hands, "I thought mom liked to have you stay."

"No, it's not like that." Nico scratched her cheeks, "It's because I have some things to sort out first."

 _Like help putting an end to this conflict so we could finally live together in peace._

"But whatever it is . . ." She furrowed her brows and held the raven's hands close to her chest, "we'll still see each other, right?" then faced the devil with a guise that brimmed with the innocence of a child.

"Promise that you'll return after everything's sorted out."

Maki then puts up a smile as their eyes collide, both violet and red; with reflections of each on their own, as children who grew worlds apart.

"Yes," Yazawa pressed her brows against the girl's unblemished hands, "I promise."

* * *

Hours ticked by without a trace, and the lustrous blanket of stars peeled off its seams as the sun finally rose from the depths of Hangzhou Bay. On the opposite end of the river, barges were lined accordingly throughout its shores; while the intrepid soldiers of the rising sun stood behind with rifles by their side, on the ready to board once the orders were given without a doubt.

Howitzers were placed amongst the ruins of the desolate part of town, while Izumo had already trained its massive guns towards the final stronghold of the Kuomintang; with her sister ship Akagi all enveloped in smoke and the delirious bustle of Imperial craft.

Admirals looked at the frontlines from the safety of their ship's ironclad bridge, while the marines whose shoulders bore the responsibility of enforcing their nation's will remained steadfast by the water's edge; all spread in platoons of ranks five deep, and ten men wide.

Nico cleared her throat as Sonoda paced back and forth with eyes set upon her watch, while her rifle's bolt rattled as worries started to gush from the corners of her mind; concerned at the safety of the redheaded girls she loved so dearly.

 _Maki . . . I hope you've convinced your mother to move out of this godforsaken city._

The bluenet's ambers flashed in a vivid hue of citrus as she rolled it towards the grunts and barked,

"Raise arms!"

Then in an act of synchronized resolve, the soldiers held the guns close to their chests with finger on the trigger and bayonets pointed towards the barren sky. The ruins behind them soon shuddered and broke from the ear piercing howls of their 120 mm type 38's, while Izumo pounded away with shells hurled ten miles out. Rounds toppled the enemy's defences in a blink of an eye, while others strayed into the city centre and razed shops to the ground without a hitch. Rubies shrunk as blasts thundered and crashed throughout its battered landscape, but anxiety had finally took its course when Umi drew her sword and cried,

"Dai nippon teikoku, banzai!"

Nico then took a deep breath as she prepared to take a step, while the stalk of her rifle screeched as the little girl's grip strengthened in just a pinch.

 _This is it, this fucking war will finally be over! I could now make good of my promise to live with a family in a foreign land!_

The soldiers suddenly lets loose of a horrendous roar as they took their first step, then rushed into the riveted confines of their craft to set sail on a river filled with rubble, wood, and rotten remains. And when the barges were finally filled with fifty men, the engines started to cough out and roll; with the low tailed little runt situated right next to her bold, yet uncompromising superior.

"Nico . . ." Sonoda faced her with a hint of mischief, "Where in the world did you get those clothes last night?"

"Shut up!" She harrumphed from the lieutenant's shallow inquiry and aimed the rifle at the fog beyond. But Sato and the rest of the gang snickered like jackals nearby, then jeered:

"Hey Nico! We just realized how cute you were with those clothes on!" then followed it with a loud burst of laughter which broke everyone else's concentration.

"Fuck you!" Yazawa then flashed a middle finger and gave a death glare towards Umi who chuckled under her palm.

"What so funny you blue haired bitch?"

The officer pretended to had swallowed a lozenge and deadpanned, "What?"

"Ugh, you're useless." The raven returned to fix her aim at the misty shoreline that lay more than a thousand metres out, while the seasoned yet mischievous veterans of the Kantogun kept on with their childish guffaws.

 _These idiots act like they've never seen a schoolgirl before!_

Salvoes rained down to its opposite end with devastating effect, and the high explosive shells of the type 38 howitzers tore through its muddied earth with violent blasts. Scraps of metal and bricks flew at wanton, while soldiers curled up on their shallow trenches with eyes set towards the heavens for a moment's reprieve; a wish which the imperial army duly granted with a relentless barrage of shells, and the navy's twelve pounders.

But little did the invaders know that only a company of foolhardy men was left to defend the entire beachfront, with the rest rearing for a last stand within Zhabei's maze of streets and eloquent shops. Mortar teams were spread along the boulevard a kilometre inland under the protection of dull grey nets that mimicked a section of road, while their German supplied Pak-36 anti tank guns remain lodged within the riverfront's ruins with barrels aimed at the mist where shadows lingered within its wispy veil.

Then a moment of silence ensued, as the orchestra of fire and steel gave way to a squadron of the zero's less known predecessor; followed by biplane dive bombers which descended upon what was left of the defenders who stubbornly held their posts with dear life. Lucky for them, Japanese high command refrained from the use of poison gas; because it might find its way to the international settlement where foreigners watched the grand showdown which unfolded in a city found in the mouth of the raging Yangtze.

The marines grew tired of just standing by their boats that inched its way through the murk and soot, while the distant knocks of gunfire kept them on edge; with eyes set only to the very zenith of their iron sights.

 _I hope those two are safe . . ._

Nico blinked as shadows strafed behind the curtain of mist, while Umi held her revolver with brows doused in cold sweat from the sight of cadavers that grazed its keel by starboard's side.

"These men," The bluenet focused her orbs at the brass anchor on a corpse's helm, "they're all marines . . ."

The raven rolled her eyes towards it for a bit and remarked, "They're not one of ours. I think these fellows came from Kure's SNLF formation."

Then one of the Kwantung crew forced his way through the starboard side and took the chance to loot a flask of whiskey from one of the remains. He simply stood by its rim then grabbed the officer by its collar and suspended it just enough to reach his belt. Everyone else looked on with horror as the second rate seaman smiled while he unceremoniously threw the rotting husk back to the water with a splash.

"Welp," He sniffed its aluminium skin with a wry, "he won't be needing this anymore!"

Umi turned her back with utter disgust, while Nico hollered out "Oye! Would you mind leaving me some of that shit you have there?"

"Later lil commander!" The salty sea dog dumped it on his breast pocket and returned to guard portside.

"My god," the lieutenant bent over and coughed, "You Kwantung quacks seem to disregard everything just to get want you want!"

"Meh," The raven shrugged and aimed down the sights once more, "get used to it dork!"

The barges approached in a loose formation fifty metres apart, with its occupants being members of Yokosuka's three marine regiments; namely the 3rd, 6th, and 8th. They were followed a hundred metres behind by the regulars from the 11th IJA, who had an engineer company tasked to repair the bridge blown by the retreating NRA hours before; and specialists armed with one of the most loathsome weapons ever invented by man, flamethrowers.

With the cover of fog almost torn by their keels, seaman second grade Yazawa took the moment to double check her gear; especially the bundled type 94 grenades which hung on a canvas sac right next to her bayonet's frog. It was found on the left, and bordered one of the bullet pouches that were arranged by its ten, one, and six o clock side. Nico stuck her hand into it and frowned after she found it empty, so she leaned her rifle against its hull and went over to the petty officer to obtain some pieces of high explosive.

 _Man, how could I forget one of the most important tools a grunt could ever have!_

She snuck through the crowd of greenhorns with minimal effort, helped in part of her petite little frame which the lass considered as both a blessing and a curse.

 _One could wonder why I sometimes consider my body size as a curse, and it's because it didn't even bother to grow a healthy pair of breasts! That's why!_

"Coming through!" The raven panted as she squeezed her way through, and felt quite a relief when saw Sato and the rest of the squad who prepped some bail charges out of three grenades.

"Hey, old man!" She hollered and approached them with a very superficial grin. The ex guardsman just stared at the little runt and deadpanned, "Oh boy, I know what that smile of yours mean . . ." He then snapped a piece of wire and took his time to tie it onto its segmented cast iron shell.

"Is there something you need?"

Nico knelt beside and watched at how the veteran worked his craft, by which the petty officer immediately figured out with a chuckle.

"Oh I see now," the old man then cut a string and thread it into the trio of pins. With the modifications finally done, Sato placed it on the little girl's callous palms and shooed her away with a very blunt, "Now go get lost you little shit."

Yazawa giddily dropped it into her pouch, and thanked him in the most distasteful way imaginable.

"Well, I hope you drop dead sometime soon you senile old coot!" She then stood up and waved at the others as well, "And my wishes also extend to all of you dirty old men!"

Then the rest of the former border guards stuck their tongues out and mocked, "Go grow some breasts first before extending such a heart warming wish!"

The mischievous imp then flashed a pair of middle fingers together with the sweetest of smiles, then returned at its helm all set to battle the remnants of the nationalist army.

"Phew!" She then picked her Arisaka and glanced at the stoic officer who leaned against the bow.

 _My, she looks kind of blue._

Determined to keep her friend preoccupied, Nico tapped at her shoulder and mused, "Hey!"

Umi looked at her for a sec, then gave a hundred yard stare at the riverfront that lay far beyond the blanket of mist.

"What is it?"

"You must be fun at parties!" The raven remarked with sarcasm in mind, but Sonoda took it in face value and replied, "No, I'm not used to attending parties."

"Well that's the point why I said it, genius!" The little girl exclaimed as she nudged an elbow against her superior's arm.

With the boats now closer to shore, and the ruins of its once bustling boulevard almost in full view of the empire's grunts; the ensign loosened her collar and pulled a scarf which closely resembled that of a pilots own.

"What the hell is that for?"

"This is my lover's," She answered with a jowl, then tied it up front and tucked it under her collar's olive drab.

"Oh," Yazawa clenched her grip and prepared to fire at the slightest sign of trouble, "I believe ol Senior Lieutenant's in a better place now."

"He should be." Umi looked at her with a scowl, "For he was a good man who deserves to be in heaven more than me."

Then at the moment she finished her statement, a shot pierced through the thin fog; and barely grazed the lieutenant's cap by a mere foot. It came from an anti tank gun situated on the ruins up front, and the bluenet was knocked unconscious as it whizzed past.

"Umi!" Nico sprang into her aid, and caught the blue haired officer who was dazed by the sudden turn of events.

The others weren't lucky though, and a shriek was heard from the barge by their starboard side; its occupants torn apart by the high velocity round lobbed by the Pak 36. Pieces of wood and gore sprayed into the surf as it exited the craft's rear end, while those who were lucky enough clambered off all soaked in their comrade's crimson bile; traumatized for the rest of their lives. Sato and the rest of the platoon opened fire out of whim, and the craft was very much alive with guns blazing at its seams.

"Goddamnit Umi!" The little girl lay with her friend on top, and winced as the river's murky waters drenched her face with its revolting stench.

"Children!" The petty officer barked, "Do not hesitate to shoot! We've got plenty of ammunition unlike the enemy who cowers before us!"

Their light machineguns churned rounds at the beach front with fervid beats, while the Arisaka's popped and cluttered about as their masters snapped its bolt open with each and every shot. Cartridges rang like a chime on the little girl's ears as she laid the befuddled officer aside, and checked for any hint of wounds but had found none.

 _Well, aside from her wet snatch . . . there's none._

"Umi!" She held her cheeks and squished it like a pip, but the bluenet gave no response at all. She was cold and pale as a ghost; so Nico must act fast before her own safety would be compromised by this dim witted liability.

 _Desperate times calls for desperate measures!_

"I'm sorry tubby," The raven then held her had for a strike, "but this will hurt me more than you . . ." then flashed a dubious smirk as she closed her eyes, "I think."

But during the time the private released it for a slap, Umi suddenly gasped and an ear piercing clap echoed throughout the stale winter air. With the deed done in a sec, the demon felt the bluenet's hands twitched after it and opened those evil pair of reds to see what's up.

"Oh my . . ." the grunt gave off a smirk then flexed her arms and beamed, "Thank goodness, the idiot is still alive!"

"Yeah . . ." the lieutenant felt her sore left cheek, "But I wish it was otherwise."

Ill will aside, Umi supported herself with her family's heirloom while Nico scrambled to retaliate with well aimed shots. Only a couple of squads survived the brutal salvo, and propped their rifles on top of the muddied surface of their trenches; determined to hold, and to inflict as much damage to the invaders before they may perish. The barge's keel soon buried itself on a patch of mossy ground, and the Marines quickly climbed off its iron hide as a new threat whistled from afar; and headed straight to their craft, followed by a harrowing blast. It was all over in an instant, and the boat operator lay dead in the surf together with a dozen of Sonoda's men who were too slow to respond. The private went prone the moment it blew up, together with the lieutenant who looked at the waterfront with sorrow set upon her orbs.

"It's too late for them now." The raven stared at the officer with a frown.

"I know." Umi then rolled right next to her and scanned the vicinity for the rest.

"Nico . . ."

"Yeah?"

Sonoda took a peek from the relative safety of the riverbank's slope then ducked just in time for a 37mm round to ricochet and shovelled some muck.

"Listen to me . . ." She puckered her lips and continued on, "There's an anti tank gun situated straight ahead."

"So?" Yazawa raised her brows for a possibility of another tall order.

 _This better be good you blue haired dork._

"And I believe there's more of it scattered through these ruined buildings."

"Just go straight to the point, will ya?!"

The bluenet then took her sword and asked her one, very simple favour.

"Are you a good marksman?"

The child breathed out a sigh and replied, "I'll try."

 _My shooting skills are mediocre compared to the others here._

Umi averted her gaze for a moment and spat, "That's not enough. I'd might as well find someone better at shooting."

"Yeah, yeah . . ." She dismissed her insult with an exasperated flick of a hand, "Good luck with that."

The ensign gave her a ticked off glare and crawled past the red eyed lass who grumbled, "Shooting is not my forte."

 _But I can't take a step further because that 37mm round of theirs could spell instantaneous death for me._

Mortar rounds soon rained at the immediate vicinity of the trapped marines, while the conditions on the other portion of the waterfront were no better to say the least. The Imperial Army is already halfway through the raging river, while its tanks were placed on a raft dragged by a pair of barges. With the threat of high velocity rounds strafing past their heads, Nico took the initiative and peeped over its mossy slope; then hid right before a round blew past her helm.

 _Okay, shit. Now the position is reinforced by a squad of riflemen._

The smell of ruptured stomachs gave quite a chill down the raven's spine, while her guise was peppered with mud as rounds landed at a second's pace. She lay on its beach with one thing in mind, and that is the safety of the Nishikino's with whom Nico owes her life.

"Fuck, and I forgot to ask her name."

The private laid its bolt back and reloaded in a cinch, then rose from her position and took a leap of faith with a mad dash towards the slits nearby.

 _Things I do for love. . ._

The sergeant of the anti tank battery saw the intrepid little runt, and commanded his crew to reload the gun with another high explosive round; while regular riflemen took their type 24 mauser clones and took some shots, but Nico knew what to do and zigzagged her way through the debris of washed up twigs and mangled remains.

 _Just a hit from those type 24's 8.57's can stall me just enough for the cannoneers to zero in on my position . . . and I can't afford to die today, now that I have someone to come home to._

But then the private felt her left leg was pushed aside like someone had given it a punch, and her pupils widened when she saw a shot had pierced its calf.

 _Shit._

Umi saw the raven tumble towards a shallow depression caused by their initial barrage, then gawked when the tank killer squad turned their piece against the helpless little lass who tried to fight back with the Arisaka's piddle rounds.

"We got em now!" The gun commander raised his arm at the safety of the cannon's steel mantlet, while solid knocks reverberated throughout its skin as bullets bounced off within a second's beat. But then the sound of a high pitched whistle broke his concentration, and his crews quivered when an entire platoon of Japanese shock troops charged at them with guns blazing.

"Why that stupid bitch just saved my life . . ." Yazawa snickered for a bit, then aimed towards a hole carved on a shop's lime furnished wall where the sergeant's stahlhelm was in full view as he barked orders to turn around. His reinforcements fell one after the other from a hail of rounds, while he pulled his c96 and pointed it at the officer who led the audacious charge.

"Not now tubby, I still have something to settle with that bitch."

Then with a quick pull of its trigger, she saw its iron skin open up with bits of his brain scattered on a portion of wall nearby; while his men saw what happened to their commander and chose to retreat rather than fight to their deaths. With the first threat neutralized at the cost of twenty men, Sonoda stopped by the captured battery to wait for her friend who dragged her rifle with a limp.

"Little commander!" An old man called out, and the squad of former guardsmen except Sato rushed to carry her off the beach as mortars whistled close by.

"Thanks guys, but you shouldn't have gone through all that trouble just to carry me here."

Nico was then dropped to a corner where she could recuperate for a few minutes.

"Here," The looter bent over and gave the lass his ill gotten flask, "I haven't drunk any of it yet, but I think you need it more than me."

"Thanks!" She then took it with a wry, and drank its contents without a cinch. Her ears rang with the patter of Umi's steps, and rolled those rubies to see the bluenet who looked down with a jowl.

"That was very reckless of you to charge without my permission!"

The second rate seaman wiped her lips clean of whiskey and snarled, "But if I waited any longer, they might've reported our coordinates to their mortar teams and pulverized us piecemeal.

"But still!" The officer spat, "Can you see how many died because of your stupidity?" She then pointed towards the beach, "If we waited a while longer, our marksmen could've whittled their numbers before we charged!"

"This is war, Umi . . ." She supported herself with the rifle and faced her squarely with a pair of vivid red eyes, "Sacrifices must be made so we could reach our goals."

The demon scanned the riverfront and pursed as she saw her comrade's remains littered throughout its shore.

"I know their loss is something we can't replace," Nico tightened her chinstrap and cocked the rifle's bolt with a click, "But all we could do now is to win this battle so their deaths will not be in vain."

She took a few paces out to the open, when the ensign breathed out a sigh and said, "As an officer, I am the one who is held accountable for your lives. . ."

The sword's sharkskin grip wheezed as she clenched it with all her might.

"You may not respect me because my will is weak and deemed unfit to lead . . ." Umi then placed a hand to her chest and cried, "But at least notice that I care, and everything I do is all for the best interest of this platoon!"

Bothered by what she had heard, the lass paused for a moment and placed a hand on her pocket; as Sonoda spoke to her men.

"To be honest with you guys, there was a time when I thought of saving myself and leave you all to suffer in this hell hole . . ." She then took a glance at the beach and whimpered, "Besides, the person I came here for is already dead . . . And it's very easy for me to obtain an excuse because my leave wasn't supposed to be due until next year."

Everyone else hung their head in shame, while the veterans of the Kantogun gazed at their superior with guilt ridden glares.

"But I stayed, and made a promise to lead you all home." Sonoda blinked for a bit and returned her attention towards the insubordinate grunt.

"And it also applies to you, Nico . . . Even if you're very fond of giving me the worst kind of names my closest friends wouldn't dare coming up with." The lieutenant then walked up to the little girl and tapped her shoulder with a plea, "I know that you're not really susceptible to death, but please do consider the lives of your comrades who are not given such an ability to regenerate faster and feel no pain."

"You know what, Umi?" Nico stared at her with a wry, "You talk too much."

By which the woman with cerulean locks replied, "It wouldn't come to this if you weren't just too darn reckless."

With that heard, the raven slung her rifle then cooed "Very well then," and faced Shanghai's skyline inspired by her master's words.

"Lead us home, Bitch."

It was already eleven in the morning when the last batch of regulars unloaded at Huangpu's opposite end, and its beach teemed with corpses and steel sheets; while its surf was tinged with a very light shade of pink, as lifeless husks floated about its murky waters. Tanks soon rolled into the streets beyond, while rank and file IJA's followed in mutual support of its steel clad beasts. Field guns of a lesser calibre were also unloaded from its barges, together with some rounds filled with mustard gas; testament to a direct order violated and warped by rebellious officers within their ranks.

The city was ablaze as warplanes delivered its explosive load, while civilians ran further into Nationalist lines as Imperial shock troops approached. Zhabei's shopping district was set ablaze by its desperate kin, while Sonoda's marines advanced nonetheless; right in the heart of a firestorm, determined to put an end to Cathay's resolve.

"Let's go! Follow me!" Umi led the men into an alleyway as a firefight ensued, with her platoon of fifty reduced to a mere fifteen grunts. Nico ran close to her officer with a smirk, while their steps pattered about its paved corridor, with shadows painted on its red faced walls.

 _If only those Nationalists knew how to give up! Their stubborn resistance is pushing this city further into ruin!_

The group then took a right turn and the bluenet busted through a door, and stabbed a suicide bomber who was on his way to wreak more havoc against the empire's ranks. The heirloom's blade pierced through his vest fashioned from a frame of cushions and stick grenades, while Umi latched her pair of honey glazed orbs at the victim's own as he wilted on its edge.

"Pitiful." She hurriedly withdrew it and flicked to rid the sword of gore, "Everyone, huddle around and listen up. . ."

The soldiers then lowered their guard as the lieutenant took the moment to tighten her cotton gloves.

"We'll be splitting in pairs, so you guys better seek a partner and rendezvous at the next street once this building is cleared!"

Nico was then shocked when the bluenet pointed at her and said, "Nico, you're coming with me to the third floor."

"What? But why me?!"

But Umi ignored the runt then rushed through a flight of stairs that was situated up front. The raven couldn't believe that the lady picked her out of whim, and stared at Sato who stood right next to her with a wry.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" He then gave the girl a gentle push, "She trusts you, so don't you dare disappoint her little Nico!"

"Alright, alright! I'm leaving you friggin geezer!"

The imp followed her officer's tracks and saw her waiting at a corner near its exit.

"What took you so long?" She then took a peek at a dimly lit corridor that was draped with a red carpet, while the second rate seaman took the point and aimed her rifle as she paced with deft steps.

 _Everything seems peaceful in here, all the more reason for me to stay sharp._

With finger on the ready to shoot at a moment's notice, the duo made their way through the second floor that was to be left on the care of Corporal Ota and Nishizawa who started to kick doors open without a care in the world. Muffled gunshots were soon heard from the first floor, but Nico kept her cool and ascended the stairwell which led to the area designated by their leader.

 _So far so good._

It was dark, and the corridor was only lit by a row of fluorescents which flickered about; paired with the revolting stench of excrement which churned her stomach without a doubt. Then the two took their places at each side of the very first doorway that was etched with the number 69, with the bluenet's revolver on the ready and the raven's hand on its knob. The latter took a deep breath and looked at her superior who nodded in earnest, then with a quick twist; She pushed it open, while Sonoda aimed her pistol in a flash.

"Whuh?"

The two then lowered their guard when they saw a mother and child huddled at their bed, terrified at the thought of being murdered in cold blood by the empire's ruthless troops.

"P-please . . ." the woman begged as she held her daughter close, "D-don't kill us."

Umi then kept her weapons and approached them with a softened voice.

"We mean you no harm." She took a canteen from her belt and offered it to the child who accepted without any hesitation. The officer then took a bar of chocolate from a sling bag and peeled it with a smile set upon her muddied guise.

 _It's only now I realized that Umi can be such a softy when it comes to people in need._

Nico marvelled at the generosity of her peer, woefully oblivious that a soldier approached from behind with bayonet already reared for a strike.

"Sha!" (Kill!) The footman screamed as he plunged it onto at the raven's back, while Umi immediately drew her pistol and was about to fire when the child slashed the back of left her wrist with a razor which made the latter drop it with a shriek as it bled in a fervid stream.

"Die!" The mother and child then wrestled the bluenet, while Nico jabbed the rifle's rear end against the man's belly that caused him to withdraw the bayonet as he fell. Pissed at the cowardly attack meted against her, the demon quickly fired a shot at his neck and ended his life with a thrust to his heart.

 _Thank goodness . . ._ She then felt her chest that was soaked with coagulated blood, _he almost had my heart!_

Nico then heard all the rooms of the floor burst open, and out came soldiers with fixed bayonets; dressed in the same dark grey uniform worn by their fallen comrade.

 _So these guys are the ones from the 88_ _th_ _? Well, it's about time I test their mettle in melee!_

"Come on, come to Nico!"

The raven brushed a thrust aside with a downward flick, then swung the butt of the rifle to his face that knocked a pair of bloody molars. The soldier broke his neck as he slammed against the wall, then rolled down the staircase and landed with very loud thud.

 _One down, nineteen more to go!_

Two more took his place, and they came at her simultaneously which Nico sidestepped then skewered one by his waist. The other kept going for a bit, then turned with a swipe that the nimble fighter anticipated and ducked; but killed his compatriot whose throat he unintentionally slit.

"Too slow," The Kwantung grunt released her rifle and drew a stiletto from the victim's belt, "Too late!" then slammed its narrow edge into the attacker's neck.

"Pitiful." She pushed him aside as he bled, and dealt with a grunt that followed close by. He was very eager to land a hit, but like his peers beforehand; the footman overshot his charge as Yazawa dodged it with a spin and pilfered his knife together with a cut to the left carotid. It happened within the blink of an eye, and the unfortunate soul shrieked as he fell short of the stair's edge to succumb from a gruesome fate.

Now armed with a pair of stilettos, She dashed towards the next overzealous grunt and negated his jab with her right; then snuffed his existence with a left hand hook that conveniently slit his throat. The grunt coughed as the wound profusely bled with the brightest shade of red, but was determined to take the Japanese marine down with him and tackled her to the floor.

"You're going down with me . . . demon!" He then spat a copious amount of blood to her face in a dying attempt to impair the lass' vision before his eyes rolled up.

"Ugh, gross!"

But Nico was able to carry his weight and turned just in time for a trio of long knives to land where she had laid.

"Missed me!" The little girl recovered with a backflip then kicked the leftmost grunt which caused a domino effect that sent them slamming into the wayside. With the threats incapacitated for the time being, she threw a knife at the last man situated across the hall; then parried one's lunge with her empty left hand followed by a nasty knee jab to his crotch.

"That must've hurt, didn't it?" Yazawa then raised the stiletto as he bent over from pain, and crashed it into his heart that killed him right on the spot. A couple more took his place, while the grunts she kicked behind were all able to stand; and launched an all out attack in an attempt to take down one of the empire's most seasoned warriors.

"Now, now . . . there's enough Nico for everyone!"

The maiden leapt and curled her legs right before their blades intertwined with a shower of sparks, then flipped mid air and performed a quick spin which dispatched all of them to the afterlife with slit throats. Nico landed on her feet afterwards, and smirked as they lay on a circle.

 _Seven more to go . . . These idiots sure don't know how to quit._

Her eyes now gleamed with the spell of bloodlust, and it was there that the remainders realized who they were up against.

"It's . . ." The nearest private then stopped on his tracks, "It's bloody Mary!"

His comrades also did the same and shuddered from their bad luck, while Nico advanced and licked the knife clean of gore.

"What's the matter?" She then flashed a dubious wry, "Did you guys just see a ghost?"

She then took the offensive and ran amuck, with her mind engulfed by the curse of unholy fervour which came from Akame's thirst for suffering and fear. They watched with sheer terror as the grunt rammed the steel tool at his chest, then fired some shots which missed a mile as the berserker leapt to a section of wall and landed in front of an unlucky fellow who was about to cock his rifle.

"Gomenasai!" The little girl swiped upward and cut his wrist, then swerved it halfway to slash his neck. It was done within a second, then the demon made good use of her newfound vigour and zigzagged her way through; an act of agile resolve that took the lives of three more grunts who were scattered on her path. They gave a wheeze before their bodies gave up and fell, while Nico's sadistic grin remained etched on her dolled visage; with spatters strewn across her cheeks.

"Just die!" one of the soldiers then aimed for a shot as she ran towards them with streaks of red on its pupil's wake.

"How about, no?" The devil snickered then threw the stiletto which punctured the lad's eye, then pried it off without any hint of remorse as she passed. The last grunt quivered when he saw his comrades strewn about the hotel's wooden floor, all slaughtered by the black widow that approached with inhuman speed and a burst of demented laughter.

A scream echoed throughout the scene as a cloud of dust enveloped its eerie corridor, but miraculously; Nico spared him with the knife only a mere inch off the pupil of his eye, and the boy stared with disbelief against the raven's own as its bright crimson hue faded into a dull shade of red.

"B-but . . . Why?" He suddenly bursts into a stream of cold sweat, while the marine threw the weapon and buzzed, "You're just a kid," then turned to get her type 38 that still remained lodged on a corpse nearby.

"So get out of my sight, before I change my mind."

The child trooper couldn't believe his luck, and descended through the stairs with a subtle glance to the little girl who gave him another chance of life. But when he was about to reach the very last step, his pupils shrunk after he spotted a squad of old Japanese marines who stood by its stairwell; and right in the middle of enjoying their much loved cigarette break.

Meanwhile, Nico bent over to pick her rifle up when she heard Corporal Nishizawa holler out:

"Oye! Look what we have here! Are you lost, little boy?"

The bolts soon crackled as they aimed, so she turned her gaze at the stairs where his shadow was painted on its cracked walls.

"N-no, please!" His silhouette extended its arms to plead for a chance at life, but a volley reverberated with a bright flash of ochre; and the lass bit her lip as spatters appeared on a corner with a thud.

 _I may have spared his life due to age . . . But my comrades from the Imperial guards aren't too picky as to whoever lives, and dies._

Then in the corner of her eye, a lady was pushed to the rails and a flurry of five shots went through her torso. She then slumped over its rusted rails to the floor below, while Nico rushed to the room where her officer already has the pistol trained towards the little girl who just looked at her with a pair of vindictive eyes.

Yazawa watched in shock as blots were scattered about its floor, while Sonoda spat some of it onto the floor and yelled, "So is this what I get after all the acts of kindness I've shown?!"

The guardsmen then rushed to the scene, while the raven saw the razor settled right next to the child's supple feet. Fearing the worst, she walked to the lieutenant and tapped, "Umi, come on. She's just a child."

"A child?" The bluenet then swerved her head, and everyone was shocked to see a deep gash which ran from the right brow all the way to her jaw line.

"So tell me, Nico . . ." She then withdrew her aim and faced the grunt who was sent to a stutter, "Had it ever occurred to you that even at such a young age, these children are already capable enough to kill?"

Umi gritted her teeth from the lass' lack of response and remarked, "I guess not. Because you don't even fear death, unlike us who needs to defend ourselves and eliminate everyone who poses a threat."

The lady then stared at her underage assailant and pointed the revolver at its forehead, "And it's just about time that you join your mother as well."

Nico could do nothing more than blink, as a shot rang within the four corners of the room; followed by nostalgic chimes which came from the cartridges that the heartless officer expended from its drum.

"Everyone who dares resist us will expect no mercy," Umi then glared to her men and scowled, "While those who dare question my decisions will suffer severe repercussions from now on."

The veterans then gave way as she went to rendezvous with the rest of the group, while the lass knelt and closed the little girl's pair of hazels that seemed to had latched against her own. Sato recognized the need for her to be left alone, so he turned around and barked "Alright, let's move out!" by which everyone else obeyed in earnest.

"I'm sorry if I did nothing to stop her. . ." Nico then stood up and wandered off with a heavy heart.

 _And I'm no stranger to seeing these scenes repeat itself, only this time it's with another officer._

A subtle gust blew through the child's sable strands, while her eyes were set with pity upon the husks of those who fell by her hands.

"Maybe I shouldn't question Umi's deeds," She pondered, "She did say that it's for the best interest of this company."

The little girl then descended its spattered steps, and saw the boy sprawled together with the lady whose clothes were already lathered in red. With the building finally cleared of any hint of opposition, Nico regrouped with the rest who waited at a corner; all drenched in sweat, and dreary from a day's worth of fighting.

 _I'm getting tired of this already._

"Hey," Ota called waved at a distance, "Hurry up will ya?!"

The grunt just let out a sigh then picked up her pace, when a sniper's bullet ripped through her left shoulder.

 _What the actual fuck?_

Yazawa fell with a slump and hit the back of her head hard against the pavement, but the imp managed to retain her sentience and crawled from the marksman's line of sight; her comrades up front realized that it came from the kindergarten where their backs were set on its perimeter wall, and Sonoda ordered Sato's seasoned crew to saturate the building with grenades. Meanwhile, all the lass heard were very sharp shrieks as rounds peppered the window where a shadow was seen; then curled and covered her ears as it became too unbearable for the raven's shattered mind.

"Make it stop!" She cried then paused when someone came and dragged her from the line of fire.

"Nico . . ." It echoed with a very gentle tone, and the second rate seaman tasted the warm droplets of blood touch the edge of her lips.

"Umi?"

Everything seemed dispersed and out of focus within the lass' sight, while her hearing was all muffled from the concussion she took beforehand.

"What's happening?"

"Hold on," The figure dropped a steady stream of water into her mouth, then moved it to her eyes that finally regained its line of sight.

"Umi? But why?" She dusted those rubies and sat, by which Sonoda gave her a bar of chocolate.

"Eat up, we still have a lot to cover."

A powerful blast soon tore through the entire complex, and debris was sprayed onto the street as Nico chewed her well earned treat. The raiders returned and sat next to her with a wry, while the rest of the marines reloaded their weapons and stood at ease.

 _My ears are still ringing, but I'll be fine._

"Sato," Umi then slumped by Nico's side and asked him with a frail tone, "Can you spare me a flask?"

The girl raised a brow at her superior's request, but the wily old sergeant gave the bluenet his last bottle of whiskey which she poured onto her scar. Nico came in and restrained her as she yelped, while the rest were on full alert if ever a marksman decided to take a hit.

"Stay strong bitch!" She grasped her cold hand as it twitched from the searing spell of pain.

"N-Nico . . . It stings."

"Maybe she needs to drink it all up as well." One of the guardsmen buzzed, and the little girl heeded his half baked advice then shoved the remainder down the lady's throat. The bluenet's cheeks changed from its supple hue of pink to a darker shade of red, while the veteran crew looked on with awe as Sonoda's grip at Nico's shoulder loosened up as the last drop of it trickled into her system.

"My, My . . . Look at her go!" The corporal beamed, by which the sergeant mused "I guess we now have a new drinking buddy!"

"Shut it old man!" The raven then gave a gentle tap to her friend who opened her good eye and inquired, "So how do I look?"

Yazawa took a glance at the bluenet's wound then winced after she saw its slit which gaped and filled with thickened blood.

 _Okay, I wonder how I should tell her this._

Without further ado, Nico rolled her eyes then stared into her superior's expectant glare and deadpanned, "You look like shit. No joke."

"As expected of you, and I'm not surprised." Umi sat herself up with the use of the girl's shoulder, then took a map from her pouch. Everyone huddled by her side as she draped it onto her lap, then after a brief moment of silence; the commanding officer pointed at a large square found just a few blocks up north.

"This will be our target."

The little girl suddenly felt the eerie chill of déjà vu, but couldn't even point out what triggered the said reaction towards their officer's sudden change of plans.

 _Wait a minute, Is this even part of the plans set by the navy's high command?_ _It seems Umi's up to something personal here. . . But I have a feeling that I was part of it._

"Hold on a sec . . ." One of the guards came over and stroked his whiskers, while the impish runt stared at him with sheer disgust.

"Oye, I hope it's not one of those whorehouses you visit during shore leave Takahashi."

"Shut up squirt." He then slammed a fist on his palm and beamed "Oh I knew that it was that place!"

The superior private cleared his throat then exclaimed.

"It's the red house, over at Canton Avenue!"

"Red house? What kind of establishment is that?" Umi inquired with furrowed brows.

"It's definitely a whore's den whenever this lecherous old man speaks up." The raven deadpanned then looked away.

"May I ask what's so special about it anyways? It's just an ordinary beer hall in the middle of town." The guardsman crossed his arms with a smirk.

"Actually . . ." Sonoda stood up, "A friend of mine is being kept prisoner there. And it's only a matter of time before she's hanged."

The platoon sergeant then took a step and chided, "Ma'am, with all due respect. . . We're here to fulfill what high command tasked us to do, and not to satisfy any personal motives . . ."

"I know that all too well, Sato." She then wrapped an arm at her most trusted grunt, an act which sent the latter to break in cold sweat.

 _I have a bad feeling about this. . ._

"That's why it's only me and Nico here who's going to save her."

 _Goddamnit you blue haired bitch! Why do you always rope me into going with you?!_

"While the rest, link up with the IJA's 1st rifle's company on their assault at the shopping district. We'll be joining you later on, so stick together in one piece and give everything you've got!"

"I'm glad we've reached a settlement, ma'am." The sergeant then gave a couple of grenades to the raven and chimed, "You're gonna need these, good luck."

Now with everything set, the groups headed to their separate ways; and the two went their way towards a portion of the ruined city that was devoid of allied troops.

* * *

"Nico . . ." Umi buzzed, as the raven secured the straps of a nationalist's stahlelm.

"Yeah?"

"Are you sure this is a good idea?"

The grunt then bound the bluenet's hands behind with a piece of rope, and pulled her revolver with a smirk.

"Shut up and act normal."

The two then walked out the confines of a shed, to a street where apartment's walls were draped with the flag of the Chinese republic. It was a scene far from what Nico had witnessed the day before, as bombs rocked the block within a second's whim; while entire blocks were abandoned by their masters due to the onset of indiscriminate artillery fire.

A sharp whistle rang as the two passed a junction of shops, then without warning; the building behind them collapsed, and Sonoda flinched as pieces of glass flew past her grotesquely marred guise. Meanwhile, Yazawa didn't even bat an eye; and trudged with a hand latched onto the officer's arm.

"Hey! Not so tight!" The lieutenant griped, but the little girl leaned to her ear and whispered:

"Listen ere' tubby," She rolled those eyes towards the sides then winked, "I know that you understand fully well that we're on their territory, so please stop acting like a bitch and act accordingly to your role."

Umi then yelped as the pretentious grunt yanked its barrel on her waist.

"There are snipers watching over us as we speak," The pair then stopped when an open air truck filled with reinforcements pulled over, with its officer sitting snug at its front. Then in an act of sheer ignorance, Yazawa suddenly snapped her soles and raised an arm up front for a Nazi salute; by which Umi stepped on her foot with a sneer.

"No you idiot, they aren't Nazis. . ."

"No shit?"

The grunts stared at them from the railings with suspicion, while the official disembarked and stared at the lass who corrected it with a quick snap to her brow. Amused at how the footman hailed his presence, the man clasped his hands and approached her with a grin.

"What's your name, soldier?"

Nico then lowered her salute and paused to think of a good name, while the prisoner hung her head in shame. He diverted his attention towards the maiden dressed in olive, then pinched its chin and inspected her with malice set upon his eyes.

 _Lai? Mai? Doi? Feng? Zheng? Zhou?_ _Ugh, it's hard to come up with a very convincing name._

"What a fine specimen we have here," He then ran his fingers through her cerulean locks and returned to his seat as another round landed nearby with a thunderous crash.

"Come, we'll put that heathen where she rightfully belongs!"

With all the soldier's faces still set against them, the raven kept up with her ruse and pushed her friend with a scowl, "Hurry up before I put a hole down your spine!"

 _I'm sorry if I went a bit too harsh._

The lieutenant followed her order and trudged like a lamb left for slaughter, while Nico laid her digits to rest between the spaces of Umi's hand; an act of comfort which the latter understood, and grasped with all her might.

"Nico . . ." The bluenet muttered under her breath, "Thanks for making me feel safe."

Yazawa lowered her visor as she paced, then took a chance to whisper as everyone else took their places before they arrived on its steps, "Don't mention it. We're friends . . . remember?"

"Tomodachi." Sonoda responded with a smile.

"What are you talking about, demon?" One of the grey clad men inquired with a jowl, then one of the burly grunts picked the officer by the collar; and caused the weary soul to gasp desperately for air as he tried to drag her up.

"Oye!" Nico immediately propped a foot and smacked the trooper's face with a punch, and all the men on board went for their weapons to assist a comrade in need; while Umi was released from his grip and sat on the asphalt writhing with pain. But before the situation got any worse, their superior exited the front and offered it instead to their prisoner with sincerity set on his voice.

"Please, place her up front. I'll be joining my men during the course of this journey."

"Thank you." The second rate seaman then snuck her arms below the bluenet's own, and lifted her with a huff. Through it all, the young ensign stared at the little girl with shame set upon her lone amber orb; thankful and at the same time on edge, for her life depended on the hands of this one of a kind grunt.

 _Just stay strong, Umi. We'll be off this block once we rescue your friend._

She stuffed her officer into the confines of the cramped compartment, then pretended to tighten the lines as the driver batted an eye. A piece of glass dropped from her sleeve and landed right into the lady's pair of leather gloves, which she then clenched without any hint of a doubt.

"Alright," Nico stared at the operator, "Let's go!"

By which the lass took the chance to hit on the bluenet and gave a tap on her thigh, before she slammed its door shut as the truck started up with a cloud of smoke. The raven then scurried to take her place out back, where the official gave way to spot found on the very end of its carriage.

 _Now with that sorted out, all I could do now is act like them._

Nico stole some glimpses at their collars and smirked when a soldier directly in front of her stared with a pair of stink eyes.

 _I'm going to gouge those eyes of yours if I had a chance._

The raven then rolled it to the officer right next to her and saw his rank which closely resembled that of the Imperial Army's _choi,_ except that it was a triangle in place of a silver star.

 _A junior lieutenant . . ._ the grunt was then able to take a good look of his face when he turned to see if there's anything that trailed behind.

 _And he's too young . . . perhaps he could be a fresh graduate from Whampoa. The irony is, their generalissimo studied and once served in the Imperial Army._

Warplanes roared by the rooftops as they passed, while Yazawa kept an eye out for the slightest hint of their cover blown. She made sure that her accessories were the same as these wogs, and noted that all the soldiers with her with the exception of their officer were large, able bodied members of the 88th.

 _These guys are a far cry from the spindly and malnourished men I faced in the frontlines._

Her pupils then gave a glint after she recognized the weapons at hand.

 _Karabiner98's and a few Gewehrs, just like those wielded by the group holed up on that hotel . . . with a sergeant wielding an MP-18 sub machinegun. These guys have better weapons than those unreliable, yet high powered type24 Zhongzhengs I commonly faced during the early days of the campaign._

Bored at how uneventful their ride was, Nico pushed the revolver's cylinder and rolled it back with a slap. But in the corner of her eye, she was aware that all the footmen stared at her with disgust.

 _I think these guys knew all along that this was a ruse and were just playing along._

She then hid a hand on her coat's waist pocket where a grenade was kept for good measure.

 _Just one wrong move, and I will pull its pin and smash this young officer's face with its primer._

The trucked passed through an area devastated by artillery and aerial bombs, while its carriage bounced as tires chewed loose asphalt which bordered a crater where an aircraft's tail end was to be found. The raven easily distinguished the whitewashed wreck as that of a fighter's own, while a faint streak of lightning ran horizontally on its upright fin; and a yellow band on its stalk.

 _Army, Nakajima Ki-27. Tail insignia consistent with that of the Kwantung's 5_ _th_ _Sentai, yellow streak from 1_ _st_ _Chutai. . . I could guess these guys were initially tasked to support the Northern command's operation on the railroad that ran between Beijing and Tientsin. Their presence could only mean that that the regular units allocated here by the IJA are all crack divisions._

A formation of G3m's appeared overhead, and everyone watched as it opened its belly and dropped its bombs. The rooftops nearby soon came to life with anti aircraft fire, and the sky was peppered with blooms of ashen and gold; with a craft reduced to a mere fireball after it sustained a direct hit to its torso's fuel tank. Enthralled by the sight of daylight's shooting star, the junior officer removed his helmet and mused, "I never thought I could feel a bit of excitement in the middle of this horrid endeavour."

Nico just stared at him for a bit, then returned to gaze on the sky above; and grimaced when she saw it disintegrate into bits of metal sheets and spars.

 _It's just like what we call a nagareboshi back on our homeland, except this one brings a grim reminder of the pain and suffering people endured within that craft's riveted shell._

"Little girl . . ."

Yazawa was snapped off her thoughts when the young officer offered her a can of shredded meat.

"Here," He then rested it on top of her lap, "You look hungry, so eat up."

"Thanks."

She then gave a sigh, and leaned against the boarding to gobble up her fill with an iron spoon.

"This war . . ." The guy loosened up his buttons, "Cost our nation a lot of lives."

"True."

"Sometimes I wonder when all of this pointless strife would end so we could all live in peace."

 _Woah, hold on._ The raven batted an eye with spoon stuck on her mouth; _this guy's sentiment sort of reminds me of Maki's._

"I left my family over there in Nanjing, and it's been a while since I've seen them . . ." The boy stared at his reflection on the helmet's bowl and winced, "The last time I remember, it was during the time when I entered Whampoa as a cadet . . . four years ago."

 _Every side has a story to tell . . . and it's saddening that it took a tragedy as this one to make us all realize that peace is an irreplaceable commodity far valuable than gold._

"What are we fighting for?" He looked over to Nico who took another scoop of meat.

"I don't know jackshit." She then threw the can and snarled, "But one thing's for sure, I'm growing tired of it!"

"Agreed." The lieutenant sighed, and was about to wear his helm when a dive bomber appeared from behind then lets loose of a horrid burst of tracers through its propeller. It happened in just a second's width, and the bullets went from the driver's compartment then tore the officer's head open like a jar of clay. Yazawa was shocked beyond compare, while the assailant pulled up and dropped one last parting gift to seal the deal; a sixty ton general purpose bomb suspended on its belly.

With the operator dead, together with those situated on the left; the raven watched as it descended with a spin, while those who sat on the right side of its carriage took their chances and jumped. And that remained was the raven who was mortified to see Umi's pale reflection on its mirror. She looked at her with fear set upon her honey glazed orb, while the bluenet's lips seemed to speak her name in a muffled overture; that caused a stir of emotions which made the little girl clench her fists and cry:

"Umi!"

The grunt stood and up and felt that time was almost plunged to a standstill while she scrambled to reach its rear window, with the slow and steady beats of her heart further raised the stakes; together with a stream of cold sweat which drizzled on her wake. But it was already too late, and a screen of dust enveloped her line of sight; together with the ear piercing blast that sent the vehicle to a violent flip.

"No!"

Nico was thrown to the sides like a rag doll and landed flat on the pavement, while Sonoda was able to undo her rope and escaped just in time before the truck struck hard then burst into flames.

"Umi . . ." the little girl cried as she wriggled towards the wreck. It crackled and sparked with the husk surrounded by a thick veil of smoke that shattered the demon's resolve.

"Answer me you dumb bitch!"

 _Here we go again, someone I hold dear is dead. . . And I'm the one accountable for it._

Having lost all hope, the girl knelt and watched as shadows darted past; followed by a string of explosions that became louder by the second.

"That's it . . ." She furrowed her brows as tears began to fall, "I'm tired of this shit . . ."

 _First my siblings, then my hometown . . . and now, Umi._

"Hey." A subtly pitched voice called from behind. Startled, the imperial marine turned and caught glimpse of someone dressed in tan with a pair of sapphires set under a bushel of ginger; but before she could even reply, the lady swept her sentience with very a swift kick.

* * *

The sound footsteps echoed in fervid thumps, and Nico woke under the dim light of an incandescent bulb.

"Where am I?"

She tried to move her limbs, but her pupils shrunk when the lass realized that she was chained to a table stained with blood.

 _Wait a minute . . . I remember this place._

A figure then manifested itself under its light, and it wore a pair of glasses which reflected the raven's bandaged guise.

"Finally . . ." Her lilacs shone from its perch, while a sinister grin appeared as she took a syringe from her coat.

"My father . . ."

The condemned quaked with fear as the needle drew closer to her eye, while the scientist's own glimmered then gave way to a subtle stream paired with a whisper.

". . . will finally be free."

Then the scene changed to that of a trench riddled with soviet dead, and Nico pursed her lips after she saw her former self; a ghoulish imp that had a face covered by a gas mask, and limbs wrapped in bandages with stains that extended to its uniform. Crows fluttered about and cawed, while the cool Siberian wind blew against the revenant's coat; as it trudged through the remains with a sabre in hand.

"For the empire." It deadpanned, then stopped when she heard someone stutter nearby. She looked over her shoulder and saw a young man who sat with a mortal wound to his chest. He breathed in desperate huffs, while Nico looked down on him with a pair of reds that flickered behind its mask's emotionless husk.

"Mama . . ." He stared defiantly against the demon's own as she raised the sword for a coup de grace, while Yazawa's spirit closed her eyes when the girl twisted its blade to reflect a glint of sunlight; but before it was sent to crash upon the hapless soul, a voice called out and returned her from the world of memories.

"Nico!"

"Whuh?" The raven blinked for a bit and realized that she was within the confines of a sewer lined with mossy quartzite walls, a campfire sizzled and burned nearby; together with a shadow who sat on the other side of its searing flame. She gritted her teeth when her eyes caught sight of the figure's fiery strands, and eyes which sparkled in a vivid tinge of cerulean bliss.

 _Wait a minute, that's the one who kicked me._

Then without warning, a slap suddenly knocked off her wits. The bluenet gasped in horror when she realized that her friend had already regained sentience beforehand, and giggled "Look, I didn't mean to . . ."

But the little girl gave her a sharp glare then snapped into a fit of rage.

"You bitch! You definitely did it on purpose!"

"Nico, I'm sorry . . ." The lieutenant then called to her friend who was in the middle of eating a loaf of stale French bread.

"Hey, Honoka!"

 _What? Honoka?_

Nico hunched her shoulders and stole a glance on a lady who sat nearby. Her eyes narrowed to a squint when she realized that the one who kicked her turned out to be an officer of the army, evidenced by the ochre star embossed on her coffee washed helm; and a katana that showed the indicative tassel of a company officer which was tied on the edge of its hilt.

 _Brown and blue, I could definitely tell that she's also a company officer like this blue haired moron._

"Yeshu?" The ginger raised her visor for a bit and waved to the bemused little wog.

 _Okay, at least the one with the annoying voice isn't here to make things a lot worse for me._

Sonoda then stood up and mused, "Shall we go now?"

"Okay." Honoka then devoured her snack and wore a pair of tanned leather gloves.

Meanwhile, the little girl saw a pair of MP-18's stashed in a corner; a sub machinegun that resembled a sawed off version of a Gewehr 98, but had a stick magazine that jutted from its left hand side that also served as its fore grip.

"Cool!" She rushed and picked it up like a giddy little lass, then pried its foot long magazine that bared its 9mm parabellums which gleamed against the faint ochre light.

"Those are copies made by Qingdao arsenal." The captain loaded her nambu and pulled its breech knob with a click, "I picked that up from a member of the regular NRA."

 _Qingdao, isn't that the place we all know as Tsingtau?_

"I see," Nico puts up a wry, "It's still a piece of good weaponry right here."

"Actually . . ." Kosaka took something tightly wrapped in canvas, then unwound it with pride set upon her sapphires. The second rate seaman shoved the magazine back to its well then went to see what the ginger had in store, and her eyes shimmered with sheer delight; when the gun was revealed to be a Thompson, which had its six thirty round magazines bound by rubber band stored nearby.

"This right here is one very fine piece of weaponry and an example of American ingenuity!" the ginger smirked then loaded it in a pinch, "And it's only available for twenty bucks . . . or so their marines told me."

 _Wait, by the way you said it . . . it sounded like you just stole it from them._

On the other side of the campfire, Umi ignored her friend's statement and reloaded the revolver a bullet at a time.

"Nico," The bluenet flashed a lopsided smile, "That friend of mine actually sucks at shooting, that's why she tends to bridge that gap with the use of automatic weapons."

 _Umi, you also suck at shooting. I remembered the time when you almost blew my head off with a shotgun, thinking that you were still using a rifle._

"No I do not!" Honoka narrowed her brows and whimpered, "It's just that urban warfare demands the use of these things."

The anglophile then pulled a pistol from her bag and tossed it to the little girl.

 _Wait a minute . . ._

She caught it in a cinch as the captain giggled and mused, "I hope that's enough to compensate for that wild kick I gave you."

"No fucking way . . ." Nico grabbed hold of its heartwood grip then caught its magazine that fell after she pressed its thumb release found next to the trigger.

"Colt Model 1911," Kosaka stood up and slung her pouch, "That came from a corpse washed ashore from our navy's mistaken air raid on the gunboat USS Panay."

"And so was that Thompson, right?"

"Yes." The ginger cocked the sub machinegun's topside bolt and buzzed, "Come on, it's time we rejoin our comrades."

Sonoda holstered her revolver then took the other sub that came with a bandolier of five magazines.

"To be honest, I really dislike the use of firearms . . ." the bluenet tilted the weapon to its starboard side, and snapped its bolt with a slap from her left hand.

"Show off," Nico spat, and did the same with her own. "Don't use it then!"

"Why you ungrateful little piece of shit!"

The mischievous grunt then stuck her tongue out and ran ahead, while Umi's face suddenly flushed with a very bright shade of red; irritated at how the second grade seaman broke her chance to boast in front of her best friend.

 _Maki, I'm coming home after this. And I pray that the two of you are watching on the top of that grassy hill where you used to go._

"You sure look like a very good pair."

The junior lieutenant loosened her collar and sighed, "If it wasn't for her, I may not be here with you today."

Kosaka stepped forth and chuckled as she gave a tap on the bluenet's shoulder.

"Come on, let's do this."

The trio made their way through the dark confines of Shanghai's sewers, guided only by miniscule trickles of light that emanated from the cobblestone slabs above. Cockroaches squiggled and squeaked as they paced, while Umi screamed after one landed between the beads of her eyes.

"Who goes there?!" A hoarse voice echoed from a distance, and Nico pushed the jittery officer to the sides then crouched with eyes set towards a junction where shadows lurked en masse.

"You moron . . ." She chided, "do you have any idea that we're not yet out of the woods yet?"

"Gomenasai . . ." Umi then cleared her throat to regain a bit of composure, "I was just caught off guard."

Honoka on the other hand, crossed and hid behind an iron pipe which emptied a gush of rainwater at her feet; then trained her Thompson as a halo of orange appeared from a corner.

"Be ready." Nico then aimed down its sight, when the torchlight revealed a group of Chinese communists that wore soft caps, light blue zhongshan suits with matching trousers and knee wraps.

 _Okay, great. . . Just our luck. But I gotta say, communists are quite a rare sight here._

They were all armed with Russian weaponry, the most notable of which was the Mosin-Nagant; a five round stripper clip bolt action rifle that had an integral box magazine, and a nasty spike bayonet that possessed the same length of someone's arm.

"Are you sure that you've heard it come from here, Brother Bo?" Their officer inquired, by which the torch wielding grunt nodded and replied, "Yes, I am sure of it sir."

The man then led the way, while Yazawa hatched an idea that could turn the tide ever so in their favour.

"Psst, Honkey . . ."

"What is it?"

Nico then took a grenade and smirked, "Whatever happens, do not reveal your uniforms. I will sow confusion among their ranks and make these commies think that a group of Kuomintang had attacked them."

The raven knew the rift between the two factions who just a year before; was embroiled in a civil war that razed throughout the land, and even reached as far as the southern frontiers of Manchukuo.

 _Initially it was red versus blue, but now . . . it's a three way death match between red, blue, and yellow._

The little girl then bit its pin off, and smashed its primer against her helm; while the company of Maoists approached their position with guns on the ready to shoot at a moment's notice.

 _7 . . . 6 . . . 5 . . ._

With the bomb already on the brink of detonation, closed her eyes and breathed a gutful; before chanting their war cry that had once caused shivers down their spine.

"Wansui . . ." Yazawa stood from her spot, and everyone was horrified when they recognized the jet black helm that was synonymous with their right wing adversaries.

"Guomindang!"

She threw the grenade like a high school quarterback and ducked, while the piece left a trail of thin smoke; then sparked before it blew up violently in their officer's face. A veil of smoke covered the section of pipe, and the two Japanese officers sprang into action then sprayed their load into its misty screen.

"You're very good at tossing grenades, Nico." Umi remarked as she replaced magazines.

"It's just a matter of timing, that's all." Nico shrugged, and rose to the occasion with guns blazing.

"Those goddamn Nationalist crooks!" A commie armed with a pistol yelped as he and his comrades rushed back to the junction under a hail of lead.

A bitter exchange of lead ensued, and bullets whizzed by the raven's guise that was illuminated by flickering patches of ochre and red. The sewer's floor was riddled with a dozen Marxists, and rats soon joined to feast upon their remains. Mosins barked from a distance, while others assembled their water cooled heavy machinegun to meet with this newfound threat.

"We thought we're in this together!" The man took a glimpse and fired a few rounds off his Mauser c96, then hid right before a burst of 9mm's sparked on its rusted walls.

"That's what you guys get for being too naïve!" Honoka jeered then sprayed some more 45 calibre slugs that felled a soldier who was about to take a shot. His cap flew off after he sustained a shot through his brows, then fell on the backdrop of filth with a slump.

Soon, the privates propped the machinegun on a pair of bamboo poles and moved in to engage the trio with a burst of 7.62's. They crouched as the operator pressed his thumbs against its pedal like trigger, followed by a steady stream of bullets which flew at wanton; while the rest of the men reloaded and prepared to storm in with stubby stick grenades issued to them by their Soviet benefactor.

"Hey Nico," Sonoda tugged at the raven's sleeve, "What now?"

The little girl picked another hand grenade from her pocket and jests, "Do you want to smoke?"

"What?!" Umi face palmed when she remembered how the Kwantung crew took their cigarette break then snarled, "This is not the best time to . . ."

She was silenced when Yazawa pulled a bundle of dynamite from a sling bag hidden beneath her dull grey coat.

"Now," The mischievous demon slipped an index on the type 94's ring, "Are you interested to try one out after this?"

The bluenet couldn't believe her luck and rolled her eyes, "Okay then. But just a stick, okay?"

"Good girl." Then with one sudden pull, she slammed it against her helm and made good use of its primer's fizzle to light the wick which sent its foot long fuse to a frenzy of sparks.

"Now," Nico poked her head out in the midst of a firestorm and yelled, "Run!"

The officers heard the raven's command and scrammed right when the little girl tossed the bomb as a sort of distraction; and watched it bounce in the midst of the deceased towards the makeshift emplacement which caused everyone to duck for cover. With the machinegun temporarily silenced, Nico stood up then flung the bundle of nine demolition charges with all her might; then scurried right before its fuse finally retired into the depths of its cardboard stick, and exploded with a deafening blast that rocked the entire tunnel system.

Sandstone bricks were sent flying through its alley, while a thick cloud of dust settled on its entirety. Yazawa took a steep curve then hid behind the relative safety of a corner as rocks ricocheted with violent resolve, while the lieutenant and her peer chuckled like innocent little kids who then took turns to embrace their ill mannered saviour.

"Nico! You've done it!" The bluenet came in first, and Nico reciprocated the act and boasted "Heh, It was nothing!"

 _Umi, you smell like shit . . . but you're warm, and I like that._

Umi yielded after a minute to tend for her gash, while Honoka took a step closer to her and gave a bear hug that was way worse than what she had endured from Maki.

 _Oh shit, my spine! This carrot head is just too damn strong! . . . I think I know now where this gal's expertise lies, and it's definitely not in the use of automatics or everything ranged at that matter!_

"I wish I had a soldier like you in my unit!"

The devil winced when she felt Kousaka's hard pair of biceps press against her sides, while the latter just kept on with her burst of cackles; clueless at the fact that what seemed to be just a normal exertion of strength, becomes a nightmare on its receiving end.

"Uhm, Honoka . . ." Sonoda tapped on her shoulder and said, "You could let go of her now."

"Oh . . . Sorry." The captain released the lass from her grip, and Nico gasped then crumbled like a house of cards at her feet.

"I'm sorry little kiddo!" Honoka scratched her nape, "I didn't mean to get carried away!"

"This is the reason why Kotori and I wore thick padding when we were at the academy."

"Now's not the right time to remind me of that, Umi."

A myriad of shadows then appeared from the direction of the clash, and the pair reached for their subs when careful steps trudged through the rubble left by the blast.

"Something's up," the ginger narrowed her sapphires and aimed as a tip of a tanto styled bayonet jutted from the corner.

"Wait," Umi rested a hand on her Thompson and mused, "It's one of ours!"

"Really?" She responded with brows raised.

The soldier was then revealed to be a regular as he faced the officers with a salute, and its soldered star glimmered from the light that finally wrapped this section of the city's shady underbelly. But the duo noticed something wasn't right with the surface, as the sergeant and his peers all wore gas masks with respirator pouches hanging on their bellies.

"Kousaka-shoi, we've been looking for you all this time."

"At ease." The ginger narrowed her brows and asked, "What happened to the order of restraint? Do you guys know who is responsible for it?"

Everyone looked at each other for a bit while the bluenet picked Nico up from the dirt. A corporal then stepped up and answered her question with a sense of urgency on his tone.

"It was Captain Tsubasa of the kempeitai, she ordered the shells replaced with mustard and RC reagents."

Enraged by the realization that a fanatic had overridden their high command's decision, Kousaka clenched her fist and spat:

"That retard! She doesn't have the slightest idea that this area has a large portion of foreigners in it!"

She then reached for a mask situated from a pouch situated below the rucksack and connected its tube on a module that hung on her chest.

"We don't have time left, prepare to move out!"

"Yes ma'am!"

The captain then looked over her shoulder and bid an old friend farewell.

"Umi, I'm sorry that we have to cut our little reunion . . . but I must head to the foreign concession and warn them before another world war breaks out because of someone's insubordination."

"I understand." The bluenet smiled, "Till we meet again."

With that said, Honoka left with her men through the collapsed ceiling while the lieutenant took a canteen and soiled the raven's lips with it.

"W-whuh?" The little girl dusted her eyes and snarled, "That carrot head was very strong as fuck!"

"Yep," Sonoda looked away with a wry, "That's why it won her the sobriquet of Tianjin's bruiser and the army's iron star."

"Where'd she go by the way?" Yazawa panned for a bit, by which Umi gently replied "She's on her way to prevent the escalation of this conflict into something much worse."

"Now that's just great."

"By the way," The swordsman wore her mask and cooed, "Masks on, it'll be foggy topside."

"Yeah, yeah . . ." Nico paused when she remembered the officer's promise to smoke.

"Oy! Aren't you forgetting something?"

"Later, Nico. . ." She then took her pace, "I'll even suck some cigars if you want."

"Oh I'll be keeping an eye out for you because of that!" The demon took a moment to set up her mask, and followed her out of the tunnel's foul interior.

 _Just a few more steps. . ._

* * *

Ten hours since the empire unleashed its ferocious combined arms assault, Japanese troops were already scattered throughout its streets like a bout of bubonic plague. The Chinese tried to hold whatever was left of their city, while commanders had already abandoned all hope and planned for the defence of the capital that lay beyond Shanghai's main road. The elite 88th NRA, the division tasked with the defence of Zhabei; were forced to cross through Suzhou creek, with a regiment of less than 500 men left to cover their retreat on a complex known as the Sihang warehouse.

With victory just a stone's throw away, Nico and the rest of her marine buddies were permitted by Sonoda to loot their share of spoils; under the condition that none of them should harm any unarmed civilian, before she went to meet up with their unit's overall commander. Embers wafted through the cold winter breeze like a swarm of fireflies, while the innocents cried for mercy as rowdy soldiers came and went as they pleased.

The raven maintained a dead stare as she picked a cream filled Bavarian from a donut's box of twelve, with the rest of the crew close behind with bottles of whiskey in their hands.

 _After two months of hell, it feels like we had already lost our sense of purpose._

Her boots crackled while she walked through a street littered with broken glass, while once majestic shops were riddled with holes and spatters of blood.

 _The fighting is a lot fiercer than it was down south._

Bodies were dragged from its confines by mopping up crews, and the second rate seaman could do nothing more than carry on; rather than let the morbid scenes distort her judgement, and whittle resolve.

 _War is ugly, but it's a miracle that soldiers here have the time to crack a joke while dumping the dead in the back of their trucks._

Gunfire still howled from a distance, while a tank scurried crossed through the empty boulevard; its 37mm gun still had traces of soot, and casemate warped after a large calibre shell glanced off in a twist of sheer luck.

 _I gotta hand it to them, the crewmembers were lucky to have survived what would've been a lethal hit._

It scurried through the craters wrought by field artillery, and its horrid screech persisted even long after it disappeared into a horizon of filled with pillars of ashes and smoke.

 _Maki . . . I'm coming home. Just you wait._

Luxury cars were abandoned by the sidelines and gave the little girl a stark picture of what happened during the final moments of Shanghai's struggle.

 _Terror, it's always present wherever strife comes._

She stopped at a portion of white flushed pickets, where a dozen helmets were laid to rest. It all belonged to the nationalist troops who defended the area, but were displayed to be taken as souvenirs for the victorious troops of the rising sun.

"What a pity."

Nico then took a bite from its powder coated hide and stared as a thick drop of vanilla dripped from its heart and seeped to the crevices of her nail.

 _Maybe I should hurry now._

The private looked over her shoulder and frowned when she saw the guardsmen's faces all flushed from liquor's blissful lullaby.

 _Ugh, these guys seriously need to buzz off alcohol._

A very faint burst of sniffles soon emanated from her feet. Surprised that it sounded like that of a child, she looked down and froze; as it looked like the younger version of Maki's mother. It wore a large brimmed hat woven from straw, adorned with a rose which bloomed on a ribbon of black. Her sleeveless white dress wafted with the lovely strands of auburn, while those pair of lilacs that once enthralled the wandering ghost looked as if it was filled to its core with pain.

"Come home," The spirit held her hands and begged, "Please."

 _Wait, where'd this kid come from? And why is she looking like the younger version of Maki's mom? Wait . . . maybe that lady has another daughter from another man!_

"Sato . . ." Nico called out with eyes still set against her hostess' own.

"What?"

"Let's go help this little girl right here." The lass then stepped aside to let her comrade see the child up front, and the old man leaned for a bit then blinked out of disbelief.

 _I wonder what Maki would think if I told her that I had found her half sister?_

The sergeant paced towards the private who flinched when he gave a backhanded slap on her chest paired with a snarl.

"I only see a black haired little shit that needs someone to sleep with and a skyline that smells like it!" He then returned to chug some more of the vile red liquid; while the rest of the crew sang some vulgar tunes and fired their rifles like they didn't have a single care in the world.

 _Wait, what? No one's here except me?_

She returned to gaze at the spot where the girl once stood, then felt a stream of terror as there was nothing more than a cracked space of pavement.

 _But she was just right here . . . What in the world is going on?_

"Ugh," Nico shrugged and tried to calm herself down, "Maybe I am just tired after a day's worth of battle."

"Hey!" Corporal Nishizawa came over and pointed at her box of donuts, "Are you going to eat that?"

Disturbed by the turn of events, especially with the appearance of her Chinese host; Yazawa ignored the blatant grumbles of her stomach and gave it to the drunken grunt.

"Not anymore."

"Thanks!"

 _Something's not right here, and I remember that her house is just nearby._

"Nishizawa."

"Hmm?"

"I'm leaving for a bit," She snapped her type 38's receiver and stuffed a fresh clip of five, "If Umi asks where I went, just tell her she needn't worry for I'll return in the evening."

"You can count on me, little commander." He then took something out of his chest's pocket and dropped it onto the raven's palm.

"What's this?" The grunt pinched a piece of paper that bore red purchase stamps on it, and had a picture of a water buffalo with the sun behind it.

"I found that clasped by a dead man's hand." He turned to leave with hands full of sugary treats, while Nico furrowed her brows and asked for she could not read.

"But why in the world did you give me this?"

But all the guardsman did was flick a hand then beamed, "Just give it to the family you wish to save!"

 _I wish to save, eh?_ The little girl stared at the ticket for a bit, and her pupils widened when she realized that something was off with her drunken peer.

 _Wait a minute! Did Nishizawa hear that little girl pleading for me to come home?!_

She swallowed her assumptions as they drowned themselves in ale, then stuffed it on her pocket just in time to hear a screech close by.

 _I definitely need a ride right now._

A rust schemed type 95 Ha-Go appeared from the rightmost corner of her eye, and the maiden slung her rifle and sub on either shoulder then waved, "Oye! Over here! Pull over!"

The tank's driver poked her head from a hatch situated up front, and plunged it to an abrupt halt with a veil of diesoline fumes around its riveted husk. Nico then heard some clutter within its compartment and the hoarse voice of its commander who inquired:

"Hoshizora, why on earth did we stop?!"

"Because someone made me to, nya!"

Its casemate's window soon opened up with a pair of eyes that scanned through the girl's entirety, and slammed when the man returned to scold his driver.

"We don't need hitchhikers, especially when it comes from the navy!"

 _What the hell is that guy's problem with the navy?_

"Come on fatty," The driver poked her head out for a bit then reasoned out, "We need some infantry cover on our way to the main road!"

"Yeah," Another man supported their driver's point, "There are still pockets of resistance on buildings situated right next to it, and we cannot afford to advance due to the increased threat of suicide bombers."

"Oh you idiots would've complained about infantry cover while we were still refuelling at base!"

"Isn't that supposed to be your initiative already to spare us cover, fatty?"

"Stop calling me fatty you catty little shit!"

The mischievous marine snickered when she heard its operator's reply, then remembered the times when Umi overreacted from her barrage of curses and harsh names.

 _There was never a day since her lover's death that we argued like cats and dogs. To come and think of it, If I was a guy . . . I'd marry her for sure._

"Anyways," The carrot topped lass stood from her station and beckoned, "Mister Commander says you can ride!"

"Hey! I didn't authorize you to let that sea dog come over!"

The casemate's hatch flew open and a fat Colonel pointed at her and scowled, "You! How dare you treat us like some shabby Tokyo cab!"

He fell silent when his eyes caught whiff of her peers who were sharing some donuts nearby and buzzed, "I sure am hungry . . ."

By which the ginger's voice echoed in response, "But you had just eaten a lavish banquet at Marriot's, nya~"

"It was just a chicken leg and a sandwich you ungrateful piece of crap!"

"Hey fatso!" The little girl returned with a wry, and offered him the box of donuts which the officer bent over and snatched in just a blink of an eye.

"Alright," He took a chocolate dipped bavarian and snarled, "You and your peers can ride, on a condition that you'll provide us cover until we could find some regulars or guards."

"Wait, you must be mistaken . . ." Nico stuck a foot on its suspension and shrugged, "I'm the only one who could come with you for those guys are already drunk beyond recognition."

"Who're you calling drunk?" Sato and the crew stepped up, "We could still fight, right boys?"

"Aye!"

 _Oh great._

"Splendid! Now take your places, we'll be leaving when you're ready." The man mused before he retired into the confines of his warhorse. The squad of rowdy marines ascended like a bunch of lost children and sat on the tank's engine bloc, while the wily old sergeant gave a pat on the belladonna's helm and mused "Come, let's end this so we could all go home!"

The lass felt her burden had lightened up from his statement, and eyed for a spot next to the driver's hatch that was situated on the left side of its main gun.

 _I guess I'm not the only one here who wants to put an end to this war._

"Hey! Need a lift?" A hand reached out, which Nico accepted with a smirk.

"Don't mind if I do . . ."

"Name's Rin, nya!" The tomboy flashed a smile that resembled like that of a cat's, while those chartreuse pair of eyes shimmered behind its goggle's pane of glass.

"Well, hi Rin. Name's Nico." She then tightened her grip and clambered to reach its turret. The commander then tapped against its skin and warned, "There's a thick cloud of white gas hanging close to the ground by the next city block, so I hope you guys carried your masks and respirators too."

Everyone scrambled to wear their gear, including Rin who wore her leather cap and replaced the goggles with a mask. Nico on the other hand stared at a horizon filled with distant claps of thunder, before she covered her guise under a balaclava and its emotionless shell.

 _Just a little more, and I'll be home._

* * *

Minutes passed, and the tank scurried through a street surrounded by a lush blanket of poison gas. Visibility was only up to ten metres, and the commander opted not to open its lights; for reports arrived that a rag tag group of soldiers lurked within the confines of this fogged portion of town. Nobody dared to make a sound, with their eyes set to a boulevard where the dead lay with faces flaked; and skin peppered with vile boils.

 _This gas seems to share the same trait as that of mustard, but more potent and hard to brush off with rain._

Nico scanned her rubies through the silhouette of apartments and shops, while her sub rested on a pair of hands dressed in cotton gloves; one of the most important tools included on a soldier's toolkit, aside from a balaclava and strips of cloth attached on their caps.

 _Just a single brush of it on your skin could mean severe burns. And even my modified body cannot withstand its destructive effects._

Her head felt like it could pop at any moment from its overpowering stench that resembled like a load naphthalene balls, and the raven wished that they could make haste so she could reunite with the redhead whom she owes her life.

 _I hope the defenders here had already abandoned all hope and ran for their lives._

Then the vehicle was sent to an abrupt halt, after a roll of barbed wire got stuck on one of its sprockets.

 _Oh great._

The marines already knew what to do and took positions by the opposite sides of the sidewalk, while Rin wriggled off its hatch with a wrench and a pair of wire cutters. The little girl then rushed to the left wing where a series of restaurants were to be found, and was followed by corporal Ota who was armed with a rifle. Their goal was to clear these buildings while Sato served as a spotter for its 37mm type 94, with the rest tasked to clear an apartment complex where threats were most likely to appear.

"This'll be over in a snip, nya!" Hoshizora beamed as she bent over to inspect its track with a flashlight.

 _I must survive no matter what._

Nico stopped on a doorway close by, then gave a nod to signal her partner to open it so she could storm in and eliminate whoever dared to stand her way.

"Let's go."

The door was pushed aside by the guardsman's powerful kick, and the lass rushed through with eyes focused on its darkened hall; while her backup panned for a threat that may appear from its darkened corners.

"Ota . . ." She whispered, "Don't you get separated from me, okay?"

"Got it."

They scoured the restaurant's first floor and saw tables neatly arranged with linen on top, while seats remain stacked on it in groups of five. The soldiers made their way through with harried steps, while eerie shadows loomed about as flashes sparked on the skies above.

"Something's not right." The old grunt buzzed, then a blast echoed from the apartment on the other side of the road; and a group of communists sprang from the curtains on the other side of its hall. They were all equipped with balaclavas and masks, while rubber gloves glistened in gold as their MP-18's rattled and sparked.

"Ambush!" Nico overturned a table and hid behind as shots flew past, while her peer fired successive shots as he sidestepped towards the relative safety of a nearby pillar. Vases cracked and walls were chipped, while streaks of yellow rained like shooting stars on the backdrop of a starry sky.

The assailants were determined to finish them off, and advanced through the rows on a rapid pace; while the raven gritted her teeth and yelled:

"You idiots sure don't know when to give up!"

 _Just one snitch off my coat, and I'll suffer from irrecoverable burns._

Then with a quick burst of sheer resolve, Nico stood from her cover and returned the favour with a burst of lead. All the enemies ducked as she fanned in a steady arc, while her hands rocked back and forth with cartridges tumbling past her covered guise. A reflection was cast on the mask's rounded lens, while her eyes sparkled with a tinge of the darkest red as evil crept to rekindle the flames of hate.

 _Aren't they getting tired fighting for a lost cause? When would these people realize that the fight is already lost, and high command had already turned a blind eye to their struggle?_

"Yazawa!" The guardsman peeked with smoke shell in hand, "Once the smoke puffs, we'll head straight out of the window!"

With all the rounds expended under just half a minute, the infuriated little girl sat down and reloaded with a stark reply, "I can't, I must eliminate them or they'll endanger our only means of escape from here!"

"Very well then," He stuck a finger on its ring and said, "I have an idea! Cover me!"

The raven nodded and resumed her assault, while her comrade rushed out then threw the canister towards enemy lines before a lethal spray of 9mm's ripped through his torso. It landed on the opposite end with an ear piercing shrill, and puffed into a dense cloud of ashen smoke which deprived their opponents of much needed sight.

Nico saw everything and rushed to his side, paired with rubies soiled in tears.

"Nishizawa!"

But the old man was already in the brink of death, so he took a grenade then turned to her and cooed "You only got two minutes to deal with them, so you better make it count."

"But . . ."

"Go." He pulled its pin and smashed the primer on its chequered floor, "I can't bear this pain any longer, so please . . . let me die like the guardsman I was."

With that said, the guardsman placed it over his chest; while the raven pulled his bayonet off its lug then did the same with her own. Now armed with a pair of long knives, she took a final glance to her buddy and said, "Just promise that you won't consider quitting booze after crossing the other side."

"Heh, old habits die hard. I'm sure of it."

Yazawa then set her gaze to the scene of shadows that stumbled about, and dashed just when the bomb fizzled and sparked while its master screamed:

"Tenno heika banzai!"

Like a gust of wind, the grenade reverberated with a shower of embers; while Nico made her way through the rows with eyes bent for vengeance.

 _Someone has to make a sacrifice . . . even if it is those you knew too well. That is the cruel truth I've learned through my years of service for the empire._

"But someone has to pay . . ." She slid under a table as a grunt got whiff of her presence and fired aimlessly through its fringes. The little girl slipped between his legs and slashed an ankle, then flipped back on her feet as he screamed in bitter agony.

" . . . the price . . ."A pair of blades crossed the shell of his neck, then fell silent as Nico leaned over his ear and whispered:

" . . . Of someone's sacrifice."

His throat burst with a stream of red as the maiden sawed it in one fell swoop, and the rest of his comrades trembled when they saw a pair of rubies which glared over a silhouette's shoulder.

"What are you all waiting for?!" An officer cried to his men, "Its only one imperial devil against the lot of us!"

The communists heeded his words and aimed their machineguns towards those pair of evil orbs, but when they were about to unleash a barrage of lead; it disappeared, but they carried out his orders nonetheless. The entire establishment was ablaze with forlorn sparks, while windowpanes shattered and cracked; as bullets flew with disregard.

But little did these bull headed men realize, that Nico used her dexterity to manoeuvre through its ashen film; and placed herself right behind their officer who failed to realize that he was already alone as his men moved forth to scour through the thick smoke.

"So, we're you able to shoot her down?" The mischievous little imp inquired, and the official gasped when a knife pierced through his heart. She held onto his hand and fired at the shadows who were caught off guard, then threw a pair of stick grenades when they were about to return the favour to their unknown enemy. The man knelt as he felt his wound, while Nico left him to suffer and ran through the scattered formation of men who open fired at their superior.

"Coming through!" Yazawa mowed several grunts that dared cross her path, while spatters flew about as their lives were snuffed by a single strike to their throats. Everyone else saw the little girl's silhouette, but when they were about to retaliate with a burst; the bombs blew up, and threw them off with pieces of shrapnel.

The smoke finally cleared after that fateful blast, and Nico saw a lone grunt who pointed a TT-35 pistol on her forehead.

"S-So . . ." He shuddered, "It's . . . It's true!"

Then a barrage of seven shots rang out, with the raven unfazed; while the man fell riddled by colt's hollow point slugs. With all the rounds expended in a flash, the marine stared at its exposed barrel and mused "So that's how it works" then dropped it on her sling as she exited the scene to reunite with her new family.

"Finally," She muttered with eyes set on a sky filled with thunder and echoes of strife,

"I'm coming home."

* * *

A torrential outpour raged as the day reached to a close, while Nico and her gang were dropped at the end of a narrow boulevard; uncertain of what awaited them on the other side. Determined to keep her promise, the little girl urged them to carry on; despite the loss of two of her closest peers.

"This stinks!" Iwabuchi cried out of spite, "I want to go home and enjoy a nice bowl of Miso and a jar of sake!"

 _Me too, but I want to be reunited with my new family._

The rest were silent, shocked to the core even if they had witnessed a lifetime's worth of killing. Veterans they were called, and murder is their game; but even the hardnosed guards of the Kwantung were no different than the lowliest of grunts, as they walked with eyes filled to the brim with tears.

"I'm tired." Ota griped, but the raven cleared her throat and didn't dare to speak up.

 _You're not the only one, for I too am sick of this senseless bloodshed._

Ripples scattered while their soles trudged through rusted puddles, and flashes of thunder reflected shadows of men who lost the vigour they once boasted.

"Those guys were sharing laughs with us hours before," Takahashi sniffled, "Now, they're as cold as a rock could ever be."

 _Takahashi, I know you're going to miss Private Yamaguchi because he's the one who makes up alibis whenever you're gone to visit a brothel or two._

A halo enveloped their entirety as raindrops spattered like a lover's sultry tears; while the skies drenched the earth with ides of despair, and washed all the blood shed for a senseless cause.

"The show must go on." Sato then turned to the red eyed gal who stopped on her march and replied with a softened tenure, "Yes, and we must do what we can to survive so their sacrifice will not be in vain."

A vicious firefight unfolded right before their eyes, but the marines never dared to aim their rifles and shoot; nor flinch when a bullet felled an unlucky soul nearby. Instead, they just watched while the flamethrowers came to life; and incinerated those who cowered behind the ruins of an apartment block. They shrieked with bodies lit ablaze, while the regulars mocked for a bit and walked away; after they fell with cries silenced by a veil of ember and dust.

"We've seen enough killings that could last us a lifetime, boys." Nico then looked at an opening torn through a swab of darkened clouds.

"Yeah," the sergeant stared at it with much felt regret, "and I guess our souls are beyond kami-sama's reach even if we offer ourselves in atonement."

"So that means . . ." the raven puts up a smirk, " you believe we'll be going to hell after this life, right?"

"Well yeah, and at least hell has some booze to spare . . ." He retorted with a wry, "Unlike that boring place the faithful and pure gets admitted to."

 _So that means my siblings are living a boring life there in heaven, is that it?_

"And lots of women too." The lecherous Takahashi inserted without a second thought.

"Don't forget that cigarette breaks are a must have there as well," Corporal Ota cooed, "Remember, we won't be running out of lighters because we'll be swimming on it . . . or so I heard."

"I always wanted a fireplace." Private Iwabuchi buzzed, and the rest stared at him for a moment.

"Well in essence, hell is a large fireplace . . . right?" He shrugged, then dug his hands deep into his pockets.

 _I've experienced death once, and all I saw was the brilliant dome of stars which adorned the void's endless frontier._

The grim sound of silence enveloped the scene, and only the repetitive patters on the dome of their helms gave them a bit of serenity in the midst of despair.

 _Something's not right, I gotta find Umi and what remained of the greenhorns._

"Come on," Nico resumed her grief ridden gait, "We must end this war so we could go home and rest in peace."

 _This is the first time I felt unease, and I hope she's alright . . . I pray that Maki is there to console her during this nation's darkest hours._

In the corner of her eye, the vanquished were lined in a wall with arms raised; while a lone imperial grunt armed with a type 96 light machine gun mowed them down in a flash, while the rest guffawed on the sidelines when they saw them dance as bullets pierced their hides.

 _It's cruel, I know. I've seen a lot since I joined the empire's cause._

The little demon averted her gaze out of disgust and forged on, but the heavy burden of guilt whittled her resolve as her countrymen manifested its barbaric side towards those whose cause was lost. Children cried when troops barged in to plunder and rape, while the elderly watched with silent tears by the windows as their city was razed by victorious imperial troops. Tanks rolled past a section of pavement where corpses were arranged by height, and planes hummed in swarms as they flew towards the direction of Nanjing. Soon, a thick column of Imperial troops marched in with flags strapped on the tip of their rifles; while civilians were dragged off their homes and were given flaglets to hail their new masters, on a street that once witnessed a parade of kinsmen who were sent to fight them in the frontlines.

"Tenno heika banzai!" An officer raised his sword, and the rest were forced to do the same; with a steam of tears which ran down the crevices of their cheeks.

The Kwantung crew cut a corner behind them as they yelled, and Nico covered her ears while they gave hammered praise to an emperor who was the cause of their needless suffering.

 _They sound like nightingales trapped in a cage as a firestorm rages._

The flag of the rising sun waved on a backdrop of smoke, while soldiers scattered round the alleyways and shops to rid it of stragglers who still fought even if their city was already lost.

 _It was inevitable, and our flags would adorn their buildings on the days that follow._

Her nose tingled from the stench of decay, and the familiar iron like scent of blood. She scanned the surroundings for anything that could give the hint as to where Nishikino's stead was, and there; on the corner of her eye, a lamppost stood with a bush on its side and a stained bench where she once laid the night before.

 _That's it . . . The blotched spatters on the pavement were from my wounds!_

Nico ran from her comrade's side towards the very end of this narrow street bordered by posts, where the gates of a rich man's abode were open; and people dressed in khaki clustered by its doorstep.

 _Wait, the greenhorns . . . they're there. But why? What's going on?_

She mustered every inch of strength her legs could offer, then snuck her way through a crowd of unknown marines that seemed to be seasoned grunts augmented into their ranks. Her eyes remain fixed to an officer that bore those lustrous cerulean strands, and faced someone else within Nishikino's luxurious residence.

 _Umi? Wait, who is she talking to?_

Her eyes glistened to the realization that it was none other than Maki who defiantly stared into the gargoyle's amber orb.

 _Goddamnit, what's going on here? Why is Umi in a fight against a little girl?_

Then a glint of auburn shimmered right behind the beleaguered redhead, so Nico took a subtle peek and gasped when she saw the hostess kneel with a hand set to her abdomen.

 _No . . . It can't be._

She took a pause to assess what really happened, but before the raven could react; Umi walked past with an order that changed her life.

"Kill the mother, but do not harm the child. Let her watch."

For a moment in time, her rubies latched to the bluenet's honey glazed own; while her sapphire locks wafted gently on the cool winter breeze. And it was there Nico knew that she has to end her suffering, or Mrs. Nishikino will taste a more brutal demise within a matter of minutes.

 _Umi, you bitch . . . You crushed her artery with that hilt of yours, didn't you?_

Then a grunt rushed past and restrained the lady's only child, while she unsheathed her bayonet with a chest laden with regrets.

 _If only I was quicker, I would've saved them from Umi's wrath . . . But it's too late now, and she's going to suffer more if I wouldn't portray myself as the villain who took her mother's life._

Maki stared at her with eyes that begged for her mother's life, but the little girl decided to take a plunge; and secured the blade onto its lug with a single push.

 _I'm sorry, Maki. But I have to put her down for good._

She hid those fuzzy pair of reds underneath the visor's rusted edge, while her soul withered as she took her pace; determined to enact her superior's heartless and callous order.

 _She only has a few minutes left to live, but it'll be a very painful endeavour right before her body succumbs from Umi's well placed blow. I had a chance to disobey, but I cannot bear to see her child cry as her mother withers right in front of her eyes. . ._

The redheaded lass flailed in an attempt to free herself from the soldier's grasp, while Nico continued nonetheless; with eyes set to the lady who taught her that there is more to life than just fighting for oneself.

 _I'm sorry . . ._

The grunt stopped in front of the condemned and looked at her straight in the eye, and was surprised to see her prop a heartfelt smile for one last time.

 _Do you recognize me? Please, don't look at me like that . . . I beg you._

"The pain will only last for a while, hold on." The demon deadpanned in a bid to hide her despair, while her child sniffled close by; rendered speechless on how her mother's life would end. But she looked over her shoulder and spoke with a voice still calm in the midst of impending demise, happy that to have lived a life that's full; and to die in the hands of the little girl she coddled the night before.

"Maki, I'm sorry that I should leave you. I guess it's time for me to go; but don't worry my child, for we will always watch over you. . ."

 _Missus violet, please forgive me . . ._

Nico reared for a strike, while she left a few last words which sent the grunt behind her daughter to tears.

"I love you. You'll always be my little baby. And I will always be proud of you. Never give up on your dreams, for someday you will be the brightest star in the sky. Stay strong, Mother is going to get her wings now. . . Goodbye."

The kind hostess then took a final gaze at her rubies, then leaned for a quick entry into her heart. The raven couldn't bear to see her smile, so she closed her eyes; as the blade crashed unto the matriarch's collar.

 _Maki, I'm sorry._

* * *

"I believe I did the right thing." Nico mumbled while she stood on the hill that faced the tranquil Hangzhou bay. A distant streak of light fell into its waters which glistened like diamonds under a veil of stars, while she clutched a handful of ashes from a wooden box in hand; and cast it to the breeze which blew past her sable strands.

"Your daughter would soon grow to hate me because of this . . ." The little girl smiled when it glimmered like the neon lights that once adorned a city close to the redhead's heart.

"But I did it so she won't bear the pain of seeing you suffer during your final moments."

With that said, she turned; then left the scene as a strong gust of wind howled, followed by a myriad of fireflies that adorned the endless field of grass.

 _Someday we'll meet again, and I pray that you'll grow up to be a fine young lady just like your mother._

It was already midnight when Nico decided to call it day. She traversed through Nobunaga's hull with an unsteady gait, after alcohol clouded her reflexes and mind. The corporal mumbled about as she went, while everyone else hid the moment they saw the little girl's noxious pair of orbs. Minutes passed and the lass had finally reached her lair situated within the belly of the beast, and reached for its knob with a hic.

"Gosh, I shouldn't be drinking too much of that shit. . ."

She opened it up and gasped, when her eyes caught sight of a purple haired maiden who hogged every inch of her bed.

"What the fuck?"

"Oh . . ." The intruder chimed, "You must be the one whom the Colonel told me about." and flashed a wry which complimented a pair of malicious green orbs.

* * *

End note: It'll be a while till I update again.


	13. Fireflies

AN: What a year that was! How are you guys doing?

* * *

 **Act 3: Dawn's Early Light**

 _Having their intentions known to the Allies and its eastern colonies, Japanese high command wasted no time and ordered the commanders of its various army groups to further take advantage of the element of surprise._

 _Gensui Minami, the overseer of the Empire's southern front took heed and gave strict timetables for her underlings to comply. In British Malaya, the rapid deployment of Kotori's 23rd Army shocked their adversaries who were confident that the lush jungles and rough terrain would slow the tigress' advance; while their inland positions and even the main base in Singapore suffered from the relentless bombings meted out by aircrews stationed in Saigon, and their newest ally; Thailand._

 _Meanwhile tasked with the most vital role of subduing the stagnant and antiquated American forces in the Philippine isles, Lt. General Kousaka enacted Operation M; a plan which called for the swift capture of Manila, and put an end to the commonwealth cause before the mainland could send reinforcements within a month's time._

 _Faced with a monumental dilemma of personnel management, and going against an army far greater in terms of manpower and logistics; she decided to rely heavily on the premise of aviation, their airframes unmatched by the Far East Air Corps in terms of numbers, unsurpassed agility, and most of all; experience._

 _Luzon's skies went ablaze as Imperial flyers lay waste to their airbases in Clark and Iba, while their fleet moored in Zambales and Cavite were never spared from the Empire's wrath. Within hours, the Far Eastern Fleet was reduced to a mere shadow of its former self; with only two of their submarines left to thwart the perceived landings on Aparri and Lingayen Gulf. The USAFFE's main headquarters in the island of Corregidor, although deemed impregnable to attacks from the sea; was rocked by violent blasts from Army aviators stationed in Formosa, and the massive guns of Hearn and Leary howled through the night in hopes of exacting a toll against an enemy found a mile high._

 _The island of Camiguin, the only landmass with a sizeable airfield on Luzon's crown was captured by a detachment of rikusentai after a brief skirmish with local police and quickly became the staging ground for further sorties as the 243rd Kokutai; a land-based Naval fighter wing once stationed near the Formosan city of Tainan, moved in with their zeroes to provide close air support to the 3rd Kokusentai's lumbering bombers._

 _Now with the stage set for a showdown between the rising power of the east and one of South East Asia's colonial masters, a pair of aquamarines glittered beneath a magnificent dome of stars; protected by a pane of glass._

 **Chapter 13: Fireflies**

 _I wonder what fate awaits me here?_

Yukiho breathed a hurried sigh as she stared through her reflection cast upon the canopy's sheet of glass. The muffled roar of the engines kept the ensign's soul at bay, while the sight of the red sun painted on its wing kept her mind at ease; with worries cast underneath a field of endless sky. Beads of light flickered at the backdrop of the darkest blue, giving the surreal sense of a moment's reprieve to the girl whose pupils widened with outright glee.

 _I wish I could invite onee-san to watch the stars with me one day._

"But then, we both have a war to fight . . . So I guess stargazing could wait till it's over." The redhead averted her gaze towards the instruments that adorned its dashboard, with dials illuminated with a fluorescent shade of green; and numerals painted in the glossiest of white.

"I only pray that she doesn't forget to eat supper and brush her teeth before bed."

The pilot giggled from such an absurd wish, but stopped when she remembered how her sister had gone to great lengths just to arrange her untimely transfer from the Imperial strike force.

 _A few hours ago, I was celebrating victory with the rest of Akagi's crew. Now, I find myself in another sortie without any hopes of rest and a guarantee of safe return._

She freed a hand from the steering rod and took a bar of chocolate from a breast pocket to gorge upon in hopes of keeping herself up, but the girl decided to save it for later; as her wingman pulled right beside her. The aviator on the other side of the mirror waved at the officer in harried beats, while the latter narrowed her eyes and frowned after she recognized the purplish strands which dangled from the seams of her fur lined cap.

"Fumiko? What on earth is she doing here?"

Then after a brief burst of static, the bubbly petty officer spoke with a hint of mischief set on her tone.

"Oh heeeey, guess who's back?"

Yukiho rolled her eyes from sheer disinterest and flipped the switch to respond:

"Yeah, I know. It's you."

"Come on now Yuki," Ms. Fukuda chimed, "aren't you happy that your brave wingman is here to accompany you?"

"Oh I sure am happy." She then stared at her with a blunt glare, "But aren't you going to be court martialled for deserting the fleet anchored at Wake?"

"Bah, don't worry . . . Your sister got me covered."

Hearing this, the lieutenant clicked her tongue and set those pair of piercing aquamarines at the aircraft's holographic sights that had its crosshairs painted in the brightest hue of orange.

"That sister of mine sure does know how to convince even one of the highest admirals out there."

"Well, you should be proud of it! General Kousaka is one of those well loved and highly respected commanders as far as I know!"

"I highly doubt it." She chided, "She wouldn't be in Formosa if the former prime minister knew that Tojo wasn't very fond of her."

"Oh, is that so?" Fumiko paused for a bit then exclaimed, "Ah!" which caused her superior to raise an eyebrow and ask:

"Huh? Is there something wrong?"

"Oh nothing, it's just that I remembered a rumour about your sister."

"What about it?"

"I heard that she's so good in melee that even the one eyed gargoyle can't beat her on an armed sparring match."

"Gargoyle?" Kousaka then cleared her throat, "Who? Admiral Ozawa of the third fleet?"

"No, silly!" the purplenette retorted with a snort, "Captain Sonoda of the marines!"

Confused as to who this Colonel Sonoda was, Yukiho rummaged through her memories to no avail; by which the voluptuous wingman added, "You know, that blue haired lady who has a nasty scar on her right eye . . ."

"Hmm, blue hair eh . . ." The lass thought with a hand under her chin.

"She's your sister's childhood friend, and I saw her sleeping at your house way back when they were in highschool!"

"Oh, I remember now!" The redhead beamed like a giddy little tot, "So Umi-senpai is the overall commander of rikusentais stationed here?"

"Yep, and who knew that such a fine swordsman like her would be easily gobbled up by the rough battling brawler?"

Casting a bit of doubt on the ginger's abilities, Yukiho interrupted Fumiko's mindless chatter and jeered,

"Come on now, you speak like you've seen them fight in person!"

 _I mean, how can that dopey sister of mine match Umi's lightning reflexes? I just don't have the slightest idea on how she could triumph against someone who had practiced the sword art of iaido all her life._

"Well I just heard that from Kaicho's mouth while he's talking with someone on the phone, and I guess that's already tangible enough as proof!"

"Fumiko, you freaking rumor monger . . . no wonder everyone else on the ship hates you."

But right before the two of them could continue with their useless banter, a coarse voice suddenly butted in after emitting a very loud buzz on their headsets.

"We've been listening for quite some time now, and I must tell you fools to stop wasting your batteries for such useless chatter! We're in enemy territory for kamisama's sake!"

"Gomeeeen!" wingman Fukoda apologized in earnest, while the lieutenant looked away and scratched her head out of searing dismay.

 _Ugh, this is what happens if you're in the same unit with a very talkative friend. . . And just when I thought I could finish this sortie without muttering a single word._

Soon, several zeroes took their place on either side of Yukiho's craft; their slanted faint band of blues on its rear fuselage gleamed against the faint beams of moonlight, a far cry from the vertical streak of red painted on Fumiko's own. It was indeed the distinguishing mark possessed by Tainan's finest, aside from their tail markings which had the letter "V" emblazoned before its unique set of serial numbers. Most of the members of the 243rd are already veterans of the ongoing Sino-Japanese war, some of which were aces who had spent countless hours on the cockpit and had already reached more than the desired minimum of five kills.

"So you must be our new section leader, huh?" A pilot found on the starboard next to her wingman inquired. Ensign Kousaka just gave off a nod and hummed, which was then followed through by another who remarked:

"Ahh, look at the band painted on both of their zeroes . . . If my memories serve me well, I reckon that you two once belonged to Akagi! It must've been rough travelling this far just to get on with another sortie."

"Tell me about it." the redhead huffed.

 _It was so rough that I felt like my bladders were going to explode from the distance traveled between wake and the refueling station at Gilbert Islands._

"Hey new guy!" the aviator situated portside hollered out, and the rookie was forced to verify the tail mark that was very much like his peers; except that it was white like hers, indicative of a flight officer.

 _Based on how he called me out and the streak painted just like mine, I think he's the senior charged on this flight._

"You better keep your eyes peeled for Americans and their Fillipawns because we are almost near their flight corridor!"

"Flight corridor?" The purplenette inserted, "What?"

"It's the area where we frequently encounter bogeys, get it?" He snarled, then continued to brief the novice officer of what she may encounter in this far flung backwater of the United States.

"Filipino aviators can be distinguished by the antiquated planes they use, and are usually not a threat unless we let them past us and swarm our bombers. Americans on the other hand, use better equipment like F4F Wildcats, P-37's and the much rarer P-40 Warhawk."

The Senior Lieutenant then looked down, by which Yukiho followed suit and was enthralled by the sight of Mitsubishi G4m's; a land based twin engine heavy bomber which supplemented the ageing G3m's that once formed the backbone of the IJN's various Kokutai. Its unmistakeable cigar shaped hull further distinguished it from its twintailed predecessor, while its broad green wings reflected a bit of the moon's endearing light; proudly beaming those lustrous red suns that shone in all its glory.

"These are the guys we need to protect, and do you see those smaller twin engine craft situated right next to it?"

She shifted her gaze to the bomber's aft and saw a smaller green frame that shared the same profile with its neighbour, except that the blade and the tip of its wings were painted in yellow.

"See the unique colour scheme of yellow on its wings? That's from the Army, a heavy fighter known as the Ki-45 Toryu. There are actually several of them scattered on this formation, aside from their lightly armed yet nimble Ki-43 Hayabusas."

"Which unit did these guys come from?" the befuddled lass inquired.

"Formosa's 54th Sentai, the Army's equivalent of our Kokutai. You may see its unique tail insignia if you'll fly right next to them, but for now . . . let's focus over the horizon for any signs of trouble."

The redhead returned to watch over her sights, while the flight commander gave her one last word of advice.

"Now, I know you already know this; but let me reiterate that you must always keep an eye out to your speed and altitude!"

"Yes, sir! I will!"

"Oh, and one more thing . . ." The man then puckered his lips, "Watch out for the P40 with a white swirl drawn on its black nosecone, she's an ace among the Far East's pursuit squadron."

"She? You mean . . ."

"Yep, a lot of us had already seen and confirmed that she's female . . . and she's very good, mind you. Been flying here for a couple of days now and that witch shot several bombers in just one pass!"

With that said, the Captain peeled off and went to brief the other section leaders about the dangers that lay ahead.

"Well, well~" Fumiko mused, "Looks like we have ourselves a rival here, Yuki!"

"Yeah," The ensign gazed through a blur cast by the propeller, "and let's try bringing her down, shall we?"

"Aye, aye! You can always count on me!"

* * *

Meanwhile deep within Nobunaga's iron hull, an antagonistic pair of rubies set itself against a mellow pair of turquoises; eager to evict the voluptuous succubus who unjustly barged in and rid the demon of a chance to procure a good night's rest.

 _I am definitely in a bad mood right now, and this plump, large, bulbous chested cow is hogging my bed!_

"I am very happy to meet you, Nico!" the officer smiled, before rolling over to offer her hand for a shake.

"By the way, my name's Nozomi! Nice to meet you!"

But instead of grabbing it to signify an amicable response, the former just stared at the purplenette's gesture and grabbed a bottle of whiskey from her pocket; an insult that didn't faze the newly deployed ensign who retained her friendly demeanour despite the obvious breach of seniority and respect.

 _Oh-kay . . . If I'll ignore her, maybe she'll just leave my room._

The corporal then twisted its cap and chugged a mouthful of the poor man's brew, all the while batting an eye for the peculiar guest who finally withdrew her gesture and exclaimed:

"Wow! I guess Colonel Sonoda was right! You are very good when it comes to drinking ale!"

Avulsed by the mere mention of her commander's name, Nico coughed for a bit then snarled, "Why don't you just shut the fuck up and mind your own freaking business?!"

"Sorry!" Nozomi clasped and giggled like a tot, while the raven threw the bottle that seamlessly shot through the porthole.

"Anyways," the raven wiped off with a sleeve, "I should go sleep now."

"But, we haven't introduced each other that much yet."

 _Oh god, I swear . . . that voice of hers is going to kill me for sure!_

"Look," the demon turned to face the befuddled lass, "I don't care if I don't know you fully, but I am sure that you're a mainlander. So I am confident that you won't even dare creep upon me while I sleep."

She then removed her rucksack, sling, and those heavy pair of boots; and crawled in to rest still wearing an enlisted man's field cap.

 _I won't be removing my coat and pants like I usually do, or she might throw up from seeing how much decay had taken its toll on my skin. It's been a day since I had a salt bath, and death's lingering kiss sure is quick to manifest once I neglect such a miniscule task._

It didn't take long before her fears were realized when, out of disgust; Nozomi covered her nose with a piece of cloth and remarked,

"My, this room smells funny!"

 _Oh boy,_ Nico rolled eyes as she tried to come up with at least a decent answer.

"Blame the engineers for not cleaning their mess out there!"

"No, this one's definitely not from oil and grease . . ." She then squinted her orbs towards the secretive roommate, "It's like someone died here."

 _Uh-oh . . ._ Yazawa's eyes widened from the lass' grim statement , and was about to tuck her legs under its sheets when the minister's daughter flexed those generously stuffed pair of arms and said: "Welp, I was taught that the battlefield would be far worse than the weird stench I'm getting right now. . ." then leaned over to flick the switch which finally turned the incandescent bulb from a very bright star to a mere shadow of its former self.

 _Finally, I could now rest in . . . what the?_

A pair of hands gently crept from behind, and duly wrapped itself on her slender frame. Powerless to stop the behemoth's caress as her limbs were caught between its succulent husks, the empire's most feared warrior looked over her shoulder and saw those virulent pair of jades; latched against her own with a hint of malice which reminded the little girl of the man whom she once called her saviour, and light.

 _Those eyes, I swear . . . I saw those wily pair flash through the darkness of my cell._

"Ara, ara, Niccochi . . ." Tojo squealed like a pup as she dug her nose deeper to the raven's nape, "I'm sorry but I can't help grabbing anything that lies right next to me."

Ticked at how close she was to the bosom of her roommate, the scrawny footman tried to set herself loose with a scowl.

"Oh you better get your crummy hands off me or you'll sleep with a black eye, I swear!"

"I'm sorry, but I just can't help it!"

"Don't tell me that you're afraid of the dark?!"

"N-no I'm not . . . it's just that I saw a trio of eyes on the door just now!"

Nico then paused for a bit, as she caught glimpse of her roommate's hand creeping towards her underdeveloped chest.

 _I promised not to hurt another comrade in arms, but it seems I might break someone's arm tonight._

"Oh get off me you cow!" She cried, by which the ensign quickly gave way to the rowdy seaman who immediately rolled over and turned the lights back before opening the entrance with a slam.

"Alright, if you want to pick a fight with me then . . . huh?"

Nico then narrowed her brows when she realized that the entity described by the newcomer was nothing more than the great Taisho and her loyal Daisa, each of them carrying a bottle of champagne and a pair of glasses; with the ginger cracking a very dumb smirk, and Umi still sporting a cold glare as always.

"What in the world are you two bozos doing in this time of night?"

"Who are you calling a bozo? You better watch your mouth Yazawa, for that's not the way you should address your superiors!" the Colonel barked out of disgust.

But the disrespectful runt crossed her arms, and spat her usual banter directly at the gargoyle's marred guise.

"Oh I could say whatever I want, because that's what the mouth is for. So suck on that, bluey."

Defeated without a chance of rebuttal, the lady looked away; while Honoka gently approached and flashed the large green bottle with a grin.

"We're just here to welcome Nozomi on her first tour of duty, so please let us in!"

"Whuh?" She grumbled with brows raised," You mean that cow behind me?" the grunt then tossed a thumb over her shoulder, while the girl in question hugged the pillow closer to her chest. Vexed at the way Nico referred to the minister's daughter, Sonoda recovered from her insult and cried:

"Don't you have the slightest idea on whom you're referring to as a fat piece of cud chewing livestock?"

By which the ginger intervened and whispered, "Umi, I think your choice of words are a lot worse than those given by Nico."

Realizing her mistake, the bluenet's cheeks suddenly flashed an unearthly hue of red; followed by an apology sealed with a bow.

"Gomen . . . My bad."

"It's . . . it's alright, it's nothing really." The green eyed neophyte rolled her gaze from the bumbling trio, with turquoise orbs surrounded by a subtle field of pink; clearly hurt by how the veterans referred to her voluptuous form.

"See? Even she's okay with it." Nico shrugged like everything's alright, but Umi being the fighter she was then snarled,

"But that doesn't mean you should insult her just like that!"

Caught in the crossfire between battle hardened marines, General Kosaka snuck past the ill mannered revenant and sat right next to one of Otonoki's newest alumnae; while the two bickered about in a seemingly endless cycle of curses that seemed to serve as a routine they couldn't live without, as loud overtures were soon transformed to a high pitched yell . . . In the part of Sonoda that is.

"Those two make a good pair," The general cracked a mischievous smile, then turned to stare at a reflection cast by the bottle's chartreuse skin, "Yukiho, please come back safe, and sound."

* * *

A couple of hours had passed since they left Camiguin's dusty field, and the redheaded leader of third squadron did her best to fight the sandman's spell. She blinked frivolously just to keep herself up, but her arms grew weary of being glued to the steering rod that seemed to yank itself off her grip.

 _That's it, I'm tired. Let's just drop these bombs and get this over with._

Her wingman on the other hand hummed some random tunes, and failed to realize that she forgot to switch the radio off since her last transmission an hour ago. But the rest of the veteran crew were ever vigilant as they approached Pampanga's provincial borders.

"Be ready guys. In just half an hour, we'll reach our destination; Clark." The captain buzzed over the airwaves, snapping the ensign from the state of delirium.

"Huh? Clark?" She then looked over portside and saw the coast of Zambales, all inked in black; except for the summit of various peaks which mimicked the lustrous shimmer of the sea beyond.

 _Man, it's a shame that I missed a lot of this wonderful scenery just because I struggled to keep myself up._

Her aquamarines soon rolled starboard and the gal chuckled when she saw the wingman moving her head from one side to the other, paired with gibberish mantras consistent of someone who slowly drifted into sleep's alluring lullaby.

"Uh-oh, looks like someone's sleeping in the air tonight."

 _Well atleast everything's going well for us._

The thin veil of lucent mist soon gave way to a plethora of lights nestled at a distance which brought a subtle smug to the ensign who snided:

''So far, so good.''

It didn't take long until a muffled creak emanated from a nearby bomber, followed by its pilot's transmission that went after a hefty barrage of crackles.

"We're about to deliver Sam some very nice presents, so hold on tight boys!"

A dozen bombs arranged in rows of six dangled head first from its bay, while its bombardier focused his sights at a narrow airfield bordered by strobes of red and blue. As petite swabs of clouds obstructed his view of Clark's main thoroughfare, the man clutched the lever which would release all its sixty pound payload and spat:

"Cursed western scums! The Colonel wishes to express her season's greetings!"

But then a shower of bullets ripped through its torso, and the G4m was reduced to a giant fireball which flaked with a flurry of sparks as it had viciously disintegrated into nothing more than a fuming husk. Everyone was furious and shocked when it happened, while Yukiho looked over her shoulder and saw a lone silhouette cast against the moon's luminous disc. It descended at breakneck speed, and the novice flight officer was soon able to catch glimpse of its overall profile as it swooped between her wingman who was already wide awake and pale from fright.

 _That craft, it is a lot larger than our zeroes._

"What on earth happened?!" The jittery petty officer yelled on top of her lungs, but the redhead set her glare towards the marauding P-40; enthralled by the pilot's audacity to dive into a swarm of hornets. The boys of the 243rd naval fighter group didn't waste another second and followed suit, while the American drove through a stream of 20mm fire that came from a bomber's tail gunner and its neighbors.

A pair of chartreuse orbs glistened behind a goggle's sullen glare, while locks of the finest gold wafted from her cap's fur lined seam; reflecting Luna's lustrous beams like a field of marigolds during the advent of spring. The commonwealth dervish used the momentum from her wild dash to close in to the condemned G4m, while its gunner fired wildly into its looming silhouette; spewing citrine tracers which resembled like embers flying off a blazing heap of straw, missing its glass by a mere inch.

"One less Jap overhead, and one more kill mark for little miss Ohara." The blonde muttered under her breath, all the while flashing a malicious grin. With its cigar like torso finally a centimetre below her crosshairs, the raider pressed hard against its fire button and watched as .50 calibre rounds tore through its duralumin skin; together with the gunner's own. Fuel tanks found on the centre of its hull violently exploded with a base of blue flames, while the crew; desperate to save themselves from the inferno that was about to engulf their craft decided to jump, choosing to die by a fall from ten thousand feet rather than being burned alive.

It was all over within a span of seconds, and the intrepid fighter swerved to evade the small arms fire which whizzed from machineguns on the windows carved by the bomber's sides. 7.7mm rounds shrieked as it merely touched her aircraft's skin, but the blonde's determination to make a name for herself gave the push she needed to fly in the midst of intense enfilade fire; knowing all too well that a single misstep could spell a bitter end for her career.

"Wow." Kousaka muttered under her breath, "Such bravery."

The Japanese officer was in awe of her adversary's bull-headed approach, and didn't dare to make a move to defend her kin as she was embroiled at satiating her curiosity on how the pale skinned demon accomplished such feat, while the faithful Fumiko looked at her with furrowed brows riddled with concern.

"Three . . ."

The American zeroed in to a hapless Ki-45, the Army's heavy fighter that was inspired by Nazi Germany's twin tailed Bf-110. It tried to evade by veering to the right, while its torso gunner managed to chip some skin off her wing with its drum fed type 89 heavy machinegun. But the manoeuvre was too little, too late; and the craft's left wing parted from its entirety under the merciless barrage of three pairs of fifty cal. Flight fuel ignited soon as it left its severed tubes, and the fallen Toryu slowly spiralled to its demise with a trail of the most luminous red. Infuriated by the way their comrade suffered in the hands of this girl, the Ki-43's scrambled in hot pursuit of the warhawk; unleashing a payload of high explosive rounds from their nose mounted pair of slow firing 12.5mm Ho-103's, a gun that was in fact a copy of the American's browning heavy machinegun. Irked at the timing of their appearance, Lt. Ohara opted to withdraw; due to the fact that the Hayabusas had a solid reputation of being a very potent dogfighter, much like the Imperial Zeroes that descended into the fray.

"There's a time to fight," She then flicked the dashboard switch which raised her wing's combat flaps, "And a time to retreat."

Exploiting her aircraft's unmatched speed during a steep dive, the Curtiss P40 performed a barrel roll and dove underneath the formation of bombers that desperately expended drums of .303 Jap. Bullets arced from their belly compartments with tracers all in brightened shades of citrus and green, while the fighters tried to pursue the Far Eastern ace; but their lighter build and weaker engine hampered their ability to keep up with the heavier craft that simply sank like a rock and disappeared into the darkness of night. Unable to exact revenge, the yellow banded 43's painfully tried to recover their altitude to fly close to those who were left behind, hoping that they could finish the mission intact and return to fight another day.

The zeroes on the other hand were just as confused and mingled with their oversized kin, and the captain; annoyed by the one sided fight given to them by a gal bent his frustration towards Yukiho who was still half a mile high.

"Kosaka!" Their flight leader howled, "What on earth are you doing?!"

Realizing that she had been idle for too long, Lt. Kosaka immediately flipped the switch on her dashboard and replied, "I have been scanning the skies for any other signs of danger, sir!"

With the threat of the swirl nosed craft duly abated by the 54th sentai's botched effort at defense, the sub- lieutenant was about to reunite with her comrades when she caught sight of silverish glints that seemed to be headed right into their path. Left with no one else to depend on except Fumiko after the rest of the squad followed after the raider's reckless plunge, she looked at her trusty partner and beamed, "Looks like we're going to have our hands full, Fumiko."

The blimps soon turned out to be the outdated and outgunned Boeing p-26 "pea shooters", an open cockpit, single winged craft that had a central mast found behind its pilot; where a plethora of wires were strung with the other end located on its ailerons, tail fins, and even on its fixed landing gears. It was a cumbersome piece of military equipment, hard to manoeuvre, and armed only with a pair of cowling mounted .30 calibre BMG's. Yet even if firepower and manoeuvrability were in favour of the imperial duo, they couldn't downplay the fact that they were facing an entire squadron hellbent on defending the motherland to their last breath.

Pausing for a moment before the fight of their lives, the redhead reached for the cannon switch situated on the leftmost panel; and stared at the wingman that already slid her goggles in place.

"Are you ready?" She then covered her aquamarines with her father's heirloom, a pair of goggles where the kanji of "Falcon" was painted on its strap.

"As ready as you are, partner." The purplenette responded with a wink.

With the defenders approaching en masse and no hopes of reinforcement, the lass took a deep breath and whispered, "I can't die right now, not when my sister is watching on the sidelines."

Her eyes narrowed at the point where the orange lines met, a very tiny window of opportunity where all her guns are set.

 _And I hope she'll be happy to see me after I return in one piece._

The small dots that were spotted and recognized only half a minute ago soon grew to a discernable silhouette; complete with a precarious system of wires which emanated from its central post. Kousaka then levelled her craft just enough to grant a millimetre of allowance above the target from its point of trajectory. And with every battle, there will always be someone who should take the first shot; a feat that was about to be pulled off by the general's little sister who already had streams of cold sweat down the furrows of her guise.

"Father, now I understand what you felt during the days of the great war."

She braced herself and in the blink of an eye, the tightly packed cabin vibrated from the simultaneous barrage of nose mounted 7.7mm Type 89's and 20mm Mk.1 Type 99's on each wing, sending a stream of yellowish blots that arced as it made its way to its intended target.

 _Please fly true and hit your mark._

The Filipinos on the other side of the line had all their attention set to the lumbering bombers that screeched beneath their frames, and was about to coordinate a suicidal swan dive into the den of wolves when the lead pilot saw a distant flash from the corner of his eye. Baffled, he immediately turned to see what it was; and immediately rolled his craft from the luminous burst unleashed by the enemy from a quarter mile out, knocking only its left landing gear which caused him to temporarily lose control of the foolhardy airframe.

 _Kuso._

It was a terrible miscalculation on the part of the lieutenant, a miss that made their position known to a hoard of outdated machinery that immediately closed in to engage and fired ravenously towards the novice pair; all the while ignoring the slow and battered strike force that limped down below. Her comrades on the other hand caught glimpse of the commotion above, and tried their best to regain altitude to aid the besieged officer. Numbers was the name of the game, a factor which Yukiho sorely lacked; but as far as experience was concerned, the junior officer had a lot more compared to the measly training the Filipinos had endured.

Streams of bright lead filled the outcast skies of Pampanga, as the airfield's perimeter defences finally came to life and hurled fuming shells which sparkled like fireflies after a long stormy night. Sirens howled its ear piercing shriek, while searchlights sifted through the clouds and illuminated the white bellied beasts that were about to drop its payload into its battered runway. Footmen ran to and fro its concrete alleyways, carrying with them crates of ammunition filled with belts of high explosive rounds. The solemn hum of diesoline engines dominated the chaotic ambience, its eerie shadows loomed above Clark like a vulture following the trail of its dying prey. Deafening blasts from proximity charges echoed like an ensemble of drums, blooming all around them like the cherries they so loved and missed. Soon, flames sprouted out of a flying _hamaki's_ wing; followed by an inferno that was about to engulf the unfortunate aircraft and its crew of six. Condemned to suffer a painful demise, its bombardier decided to release its load in hopes of hitting whoever's below right before he was reduced into a burning heap of flesh and shattered vows. Bits of shrapnel tore through the thin duralumin skin on some of these fragile bombers, wounding either a bombardier, waist gunner, or even the pilot and its partner nestled up front. The fallen flyers fell like meteors under a starry sky, burning bright one second; and gone in the other. But those who remained, either battered or untouched; waited for the fateful moment when their sights caught glimpse of the runway's heart and its numerous structures, especially the oil depots and rusted hangars that littered the narrow boulevard which personified the commonwealth's will to carry on the fight. Everyone fell silent as their crosshairs inched towards their targets, with droplets of sweat pouring past their eyes which glimmered from the promise of war's end before Christmas. Then, after a brief crackle on the airwaves; the captain cried out "Hasha!" and the bombardiers simultaneously pulled the levers that unleashed a myriad of bombs which whistled as it fell.

and the zeroes found themselves surrounded by peashooters which took turns on swerving around and strafe past them. It wasn't the honourable duel which Yukiho had hoped, but she must come up with a plan or risk being burned to a crisp once a single round ignites the fuel tank situated just behind her seat.

"Fumiko!" She yelped while pushing the stick sharply to her aft, sending the aircraft into a wide spiralling dive to evade these would be assailants.

"What?!"

"What happened to you? Why didn't you take a shot at them while they're still far out?!"

The redhead then looked over her shoulder and saw ten of these miniscule fighters behind her tail in groups of five; each of them positioned in her five and seven respectively, and all eager to take the honour of eliminating a flight officer whose identity was given away by the white band situated next to its roundel.

"Well?!" She snapped out of disparity, by which her wingman replied, "My guns are jammed! That's why!"

"WHAT?!"

Frustrated by the stroke of luck bestowed upon her, she immediately scanned for her mate and saw that the lass was also in the middle of a vicious struggle against a dozen up above.

"Oh this is just great!" Kosaka returned her attention to the instruments up front, and grit her teeth as the dials wildly spun on its axis.

 _I'm almost approaching the 525 km/h limit, and I must find a way to get them off my six or I'll be subjected to an uncontrollable dive or have these wings snapped on the spot!_

But before she can do anything drastic, Lt. Kosaka suddenly got a hint of what Petty officer Fukuda faced when her eyes caught glimpse of the jutting breeches of the cowling mounted type 92's; together with a pair of levers that can help the pilots clear round misfeeds during mid flight, a feature unique only to the Zero.

 _Oh she better not be lying on me now._

"Are you sure it's just a jam you got there?!"

"I kept pressing the button and all I heard were clicks!"

"Had you checked your machineguns? Just crank the levers and it'll be fine!"

"Uhh, hold on for a sec."

Little did the bewildered lass know that the p-26's were able to close in due to their heavier weight, and was shocked after she heard a sound which resembled like a flurry of stones hitting a slab of rolled steel.

 _Now what?_

Puzzled, she immediate gazed portside and her pupils suddenly widened from the realization that her right wing's fuel tank had ruptured; spilling volatile aviation fuel in a luminous spray which mimicked the faded beams of moonlight.

"Oh, shit." Yukiho muttered under her breath, wherein her wingman suddenly cracked, "I know you'll probably hate me for this . . ." followed by a burst of awkward chuckles, "But hey, you know what? My guns are out of bullets!"

Already on the verge of tears and infuriated by the mess they're in, the officer bit her lips and took quick frivolous breaths as rounds streaked past the canopy and into the darkness below.

 _If it's time, then there's nothing I can do. But as long as my hands are glued to this steering rod and my aircraft still responsive to it, I'll have to fight back and bring as much as I can to my final resting place!_

Seeing how dire her situation was, with the wingman struggling up above with a swath of cantankerous foes; Yukiho tried to postulate a favourable cause of action, looking past the jaws of terror which slowly gripped the young girl's mind.

 _I shouldn't falter,_

She guzzled in some more fruitful breaths, in an urge of calming down the storm of doubt that razed within her like a wildfire in midsummer morn.

 _But what should I do? How can I make a last stand if I can't even think clearly in such a time like this?_

Her worries soon faded to a blur when image came to mind, that of a ginger whose heart was filled with compassion and love; paired by a warm smile that gave her a sense of comfort during her darkest of days, as a child growing in the stead of a veteran scarred by war.

"Onee-chan," the redhead mumbled, "What would you do if you were on my shoes?"

Bullets whizzed through her canopy like mad, with some tearing up the fragile aluminium skin which draped the zero's dull grey hull; causing quite a stir in her ears which resembled a bouquet of nails scratching on a tarnished piece of board. Then the lass looked over her shoulder and gasped, after remembering a little trick she learned during her time as a student at Akeno's flying school.

"That's it . . ." Yukiho returned her gaze upon its dimly lit dashboard, "I remembered that this aircraft of mine has a little something off its sleeve, and all I need to do is execute a tiny bit of exploitation."

The young aviator forcefully yanked its already frozen rod aft, never minding the stray shards of glass which ripped through her cheek as rounds arced in fervid beats. Paired with a quick push of its adjacent pedal, the zero duly submitted to its master's whim and turned on its belly to prepare for a dive into the searing enemy sky. But it didn't come with price, and the little girl felt nauseous as blood rushed towards the edge of her crown. An illusion soon came into play after the snapped roll, which resembled stars that popped into view; coupled with the gut wrenching feeling that time seemed to had stopped dead on its tracks. Everything went slow for the intrepid flyer, with the nail biting shriek of machineguns and bombs reduced to an echoing blur that mimicked her heart's dying pulse.

 _Give me strength, so I could end this fight with a smile set on my lips._

Then with a quick forceful whim, the craft dove into the abyss with all hopes laid upon the training she had years back.

"Don't fail me now." She gnashed her teeth as a roaring headache started to take its course, while the distressful cry of its engine filled the night with its sullen tune. It screeched as its rudders were pushed to its limits, causing the nimble Nipponese craft to bend on its master's command; executing a headlong dive which left the foolhardy Filipinos aghast, and unable to follow through in earnest.

"Nakakawala na siya! Habulin nyo!" (He's getting away! After him!) The squadron leader barked at his subordinates, who all then went to a hasty plunge with guns blazing in fervid bursts.

But just as when salvation was within arm's reach, hues of ochre and red filled the lass' eyes; blinding her for a split second, followed by a searing jolt from her left lower arm that caused her to release the throttle in a heartbeat.

"Nani?" The lass panned those lustrous aquamarines towards the spot where warmth seeped through a sleeve, then screamed when she saw an iron bar had skewered her flesh; flung by an anti-aircraft shell that detached a piece of rib from the rei sen's wing.

Despair returned to flood the redhead's mind, its volatile spell slowly inching away at what little hope she had mustered a while back. Yet in the midst of agony, Lieutenant Kosaka was determined to fight it out; even if it spelled certain death.

"Not today . . ." Pulling out the cotton scarf Fumiko tied hours earlier, the redhead quickly clenched her bloodied fist and tied it onto the lever which controlled the thrust; neverminding the numbing barrage of pain that threatened to shut her senses down.

"I must push through with this," With a few harried breaths followed by a scowl, she took the chocolate from her pocket and gorged on it to help calm the nerves; all the while never taking a moment to look away from the dial which feverishly approached the 525 km threshold.

"Yukiho!" Her wingman shrieked in vain, unable to help out a dear friend during her time of need.

"Honoka . . . ." She murmured as her eyes flickered with a film of tears, "I'm sorry, but I'm not going home anymore."

The faded pair of leather gloves screeched as the girl gathered her resolve, and with a gentle pull of its stick; the brittle craft swerved to a loop, its dull grey skin reflecting the moon's dying light. The pursuers could only stare with awe set upon their orbs, as the a6m2 obscured the moon for a split second; before crashing on them with a hail of gunfire.

A burst of 20mm and .303 jap tore through the lead p26's engine bloc, spilling fuel all over the unfortunate flyer's face before the craft was reduced into a massive fireball. Taken by surprise from the quick turn of events, the entire pursuit squadron scattered to keep the zero at bay; while it cut through their loose formation to make another run.

"One down." Yukiho blandly remarked at the downed peashooter that slowly faded into the meandering abyss, with her once lively aquamarines now dull and filled to the brim with apathy. She then looked over her shoulder after a round grazed her temple, cracking a shallow smirk after seeing a pair of fighters feverishly taking turns at firing their nose mounted guns.

"Patumbahin nyo ang putang inang yan!" (Someone take that motherfucker down!) Their sergeant scowled on the air, by which the rest of the grunts dove in to intercept the intrepid cygnet that made its way through a field of heavy flak.

Everything within the confines of her canopy shook from the intensity of fervid blasts, but her hands kept steady in the midst of peril; luring the pair into a firestorm of smoke, and dust.

"Kainis!" (Goddamnit!) One of the pursuers leaned further into his sights, desperately dialling its crosshairs to latch onto the rei-sen's tail.

"Cuevas," His wingman radioed in.

"Oh?"

"Wag kang masyadong atat, hindi ka mapopromote niyan kahit mapatumba mo pa yan." (Don't get too excited, for you won't be promoted even if you successfully shoot that thing down.)

Irritated by his comrade's remark, he took a moment to stare at him and growled "Wala akong pakialam!" (I don't care!) , failing to realize that Yukiho's eyes were set towards him for quite some time.

"Never turn your gaze from an enemy," She then turned to focus on the controls and looped the craft starboard to intercept his path, exploiting the soot ridden veil of flak that masked the skyline with its incongruous puffs.

"Teka, teka," (Woah, woah there. . .) His partner soothed him off, "Pinapaalala lang kita." (I was just reminding you.)

The lead pursuer let him off the hook after that, and returned to mete some lead downrange when a streak squirmed from the corner of his lens.

"Ay, puta." (Oh, fuck.)

The airman's goggles then flew off with spatters of gore, after a high explosive shell from the zero's wing mounted cannons tore through the temple; and blew his head clean off. The other guy saw everything that happened within the blink of an eye, and was unable to evade the deadly burst of lead that pierced through his sides and snaked its way through the fuselage; igniting the fuel tank that left the craft crashing to earth with a trail of fire.

"That'll teach you."

Lt. Kousaka felt a bit of relief and took a deep breath to celebrate a victory salvaged from the jaws of defeat, doing away with the emotionless mask that helped her achieve such uncalled feat. But the struggle was far from over, as a torrent of bullets rained all around.

"Magbabayad ka, Hapon!" (You'll pay for this, Jap!) The squadron's captain cried from the top of his lungs, ordering his men not to let go until all their barrels were red hot.

"Not this again!" Yukiho quickly took action and plunged once more into a dive, pushing her luck into the teeth of fierce anti-aircraft fire.

"Yukiho . . ." A pair of sapphires glanced at a reflection cast by the waves, deep in worry; and on the verge of tears.

"Why are you always fond of making me worry?" The general skulked, then leaned by the railings with a harried sigh.

A shadow soon lurked behind, and Honoka felt a bit of warmth land on her shoulder. Thinking that it was someone she really knew so well, she curled up a smile and faced the persona dressed in green.

"And I thought you've drank too much of that fine wine I brought." The ginger raised a brow towards her one eyed confidant, the gargoyle who was once a maiden of unparalleled beauty.

"I was only able to down a few sips," Umi crossed her arms, "It was Nico and the novice who bore the brunt of it all."

With her presence already known, the Colonel conveniently stood beside and watched the ripples touch Nobunaga's ironclad keel; soliciting a giggle from the General who then pondered:

"Those two might look like a good pair, don't you think?"

The bluenet felt a chill had ran by the edge of her spine, knowing all too well that Nico's rough attitude and untameable nature had stirred numerous headaches during the time she served on the field. But for the sake of keeping the ginger amused and preoccupied, she pulled a shallow curve by those dainty lips of hers with a subtle reply.

"I believe so."

Satisfied, Kousaka returned to gaze upon the scenery up front; where an ocean of glass gently rocked underneath a surreal dome of stars.

"It's a shame that we'll be heading towards another frontline." She murmured, with eyes that showed a stint of tension.

"But we won't be the ones leading charges now. . ." Umi paused for a bit and gazed at her reflection with shared resolve, "And at least we're spared from the horrors we once saw back then."

"We may be spared from overseeing operations first hand," The lass then paced her befuddled peer, "But our men's lives depend on our decisions made behind closed doors."

Hearing this, Sonoda nodded in agreement and clasped her leather lined hands snug within each other; bothered by the predicament faced by all members of the upper echelon.

"I know."

As the veterans took a moment to think, a glint of fluorescence zipped through the skyline; diverting both their attention while it silently disappeared into the tranquil sea line. Picking up her wits, the ginger immediately donned the attitude of a child and giddily pointed at the star's final resting place; while the stoic, and ever serious bluenette could do nothing more than look at her with awe.

"Look! A nagareboshi!"

"Yes . . . I saw that." She awkwardly replied.

Bemused by such a dull response, she slapped her back with such force that it could throw someone overboard. But the marine was able to grab hold onto a section of rail, saving her from an untimely starlight dip in the middle of Bashi strait.

"Honokaaaaaa!" Umi coughed for a bit and gave a deathglare towards the teetering lass, who then burst into heartfelt laughter after she saw her flailing like mad beforehand.

"You almost had me killed! What the hell is wrong with you?!"

"Now that's the spirit!" Honoka sniffled, "Looks like I finally got you to act very lively!"

Unable to stomach defeat, she rolled up her sleeves and shrieked:

"Oh I'll show you what's lively!"

The Colonel lunged in to wrestle with the carrot topped maiden, but the latter's nimble reflexes won over her and soon found herself woefully pinned by the sides with the general's arms wrapped tightly by the waist. It was a very awkward position, like that of a lover giving the other a hug from behind right before the fateful moment an engagement ring was to be given.

"Looks like you've lost again in our little tussle, Umi."

"You're just lucky." She spat, still bitter from being unable to repay the ginger's unpleasant deed.

"As always?" Kousaka parried with a smug.

"Shut up."

Then, just as about they would immerse themselves with teases and jeers; a shower of lights flashed from afar, and the two once more pinned their eyes to the stretch of sky in front of them where meteors rained in fervid succession.

"Kirei . . ." The General remarked with sapphires that gleamed with sheer delight, while her naval subordinate grimaced and averted her stare into the stark impression of her down below. Noticing the sudden change of atmosphere for the bluenette, Honoka leaned in to check; and felt pity after she saw some tears drip from her chin.

"Hey," She softly hushed the seemingly bereaved confidant, "What's the matter?"

Having heard her peer's calm voice, Sonoda jolted back into reality; displeased by the fact that her vulnerability manifested itself during a time where she was supposed to show happiness in the company of her dearest peer.

"It's nothing." She then looked over her shoulder to latch those lustrous ambers into the ginger's own, "I just remembered something. That's all."

Determined to diffuse the heavy atmosphere that hung heavily by her acquaintance's head, the lady loosened her grip and inquired; "Mind telling me what it is?"

But Umi was determined to keep her past a secret, as it would mean that her reputation as a woman of dignity may be tarnished if she let the innocent consort of hers learn of such an embarrassing deed; and the fact that she was a mother, of a fatherless child. Yet in the midst of deafening silence, the commander was eager to know what's up; evidenced by the mischievous grin that surfaced on the corner of her eye.

"Come on now, don't be shy. I promise that it'll be our little secret!"

"No." She bluntly replied, but was met with persistence from the redhead who brushed against her sides.

"Oh please? Pretty please?"

"No means no. And that's final." Sonoda then tried to keep her fragile composure, doing her very best to avoid eye contact as much as possible.

"Oh I know!" the carrot topped lass exclaimed, and it was there that the marine's cold sweat started to drip down her brows; a subtle sign that she noticed and dared to exploit.

"Maybe it's about your boyfriend and all the dirty things you two did under the moonlight, eh?"

With the cover blown by beads of perspiration, and her face already red from embarrassment; the Colonel suddenly howled at her best friend who snickered about, having proven the latter's guilt.

"How shameless of you to think of your friend that way!"

But the yell seemed to had fell on deaf ears, as Honoka followed it up with yet another inquiry; much to the bluenet's dismay.

"Who's the lucky guy that got to sleep with you for the night?"

"None!" Umi glared at her once more, "Who in the right mind would love to be with an ugly mess like me?" then gazed at the moon to cover a sultry stream that ran through her flustered cheek; "Even long before I had this scar, I believe no one would even dare approach to ask my name."

"Except for mate Kanzaki, right?" the general immediately rebutted the colonel's ploy, causing her to gasp.

"How in the world . . ."

The redhead then gave her friend a pinch on the underside of her arm, "Everyone in the academy knows that, silly!"

"Mou," the bluenette purred, "More like someone had been too busy eavesdropping and spreading rumours back then."

"Come on now, every gal in the academy are fond of gossiping. It's just our nature to be like that." She shrugged, in sheer ignorance of the lady enraged with having such secrets laid bare.

"But I'm not the type of girl who would engage in such a flirtatious deed!"

And after a brief pause, the gargoyle's sharp glare was diverted towards the plump assets nestled on the side of her sleeve.

"And would you please stop brushing against my coat? What if somebody sees you acting so shamelessly like that?"

"Well . . ." Honoka rolled her eyes for a bit, and put up a dubious wry; much to the confidant's horror.

"Then let them watch!"

A hand then grasped the Colonel's chest, causing the lady to squeal as distress and embarrassment took its toll; while the mischievous taisho giggled as she had felt nothing more than a very thick layer of foam, leaving a remark that turned the bluenet's face red with anger.

"My my Umi chan, you still use this much foam after all these years . . . I am so disappointed in you!"

"Honoka!" Her citrine orb flashed against the commander's cerulean pair, "Get your hand off my breast or I'll . . ."

"You'll what?"

Silenced by the stark rebuttal, Umi tried to wriggle off the ginger's grip; but it was too strong that she just admitted defeat and sighed,

"This is the reason why Kotori hated being with you." the confidant then slumped, "You're just too darn clingy."

Hearing an old friend's name, Honoka cackled for a bit; then reminisced the times she had with the beige haired marksman.

"I sure do miss those times." The ginger mused, her eyes having panned through the ocean's distant lights.

"I gotta admit, I too long for those days long gone." The Colonel then felt her hold had melted away from such a thought, and gently sets herself loose; to stand next to a friend whose kindness seeped through a warrior's callous mask.

"Kotori always squeaked like a mouse whenever I pinned her down..." She remarked with joy strewn upon her lips, while the loyal and iron willed confidant chuckled softly right beside.

"And it was perhaps the cutest thing I love about that little bird."

"You're just horny." Umi retorted with a smug.

''No i'm not!" Honoka responded with flustered cheeks, "It's just that she looked puffy and had such a squeamish, high pitched voice."

Then in a sudden twist of luck, her vision blurred and the gal was sent to slump by it's rusted rails, grumbling inaudibly from the sheer volume of alcohol she had ingested hours before.

With the deed of tomfoolery all but forgiven, the maiden adorned with cerulean strands wrapped an arm around her indomnitable shoulder; to give a hint of warmth to a comrade, and a dear friend.

"Maybe it's time for you to rest, Taisho."

And with a quick heave, they limped through its deck; with the bluenet leading her on with a subtle nudge by the leg.

The sound of rushing waves on its starboard keel gave them something to smile about, and the two soon found themselves staring at each other with a subtle glint; and a reflection of who they once were.

A sense of awkwardness ensued, and the once bold mannered cinnamon roll with sapphire lens averted; then struggled to walk on her own, only to squander and fall.

But before her face could even touch the sullen wooden floor, Umi caught the lass' collar; and cooed,

"I am impressed," The moon's faded glow then reflected a dastardly glare from her amber orb, "You're still the bull headed Honoka I once knew."

For a brief moment, the general lay suspended at the tip of the dervish's fingers; letting out an awkward stream of cackles as her nose caught whiff of its noxious mix of wax and dust.

With its vile, nostalgic stench seeping through her alcohol drenched wit; the ginger had already forgotten that she could just prop herself up, a simple task overlooked due to wine's numbing grasp.

Unable to continue with such an awkward conversation, the minor official sighed and pulled her up.

"It's getting late." She then lifted the bewildered lass to rest upon her back in a bid to carry home.

"Umi..." She groaned, "I can still walk."

"Yeah right, tell that to your drooping arms and shaky legs."

With a quick shrug, the marine got a firm hold of those dainty pair of limbs; a deed which drew much displeasure to the carrot topped footman who tried to wriggle off her clutch.

"Seriously, I can still do it on my own."

Umi ignored her peer's request and resumed pace, that scarred guise set at an avenue lit by moonlight's lucent beam; bordered by rails, and the bristling array of casemated guns.

"Umi..." Kousaka mumbled like a tot, "I can still walk... You shouldn't be doing all this trouble just to carry me back to my transport ship."

"Transport?" The bluenet turned, "No, I'll let you sleep on my room tonight."

"Huh?"

"You may return to Kishin-maru once you had enough rest."

A shade of fuschia soon filled Honoka's cheeks after the Colonel gave her answer, then remained silent for a few seconds; only to be disrupted by the subordinate who stated the sole reason why she's in a hurry to let her rest.

"Our seaplanes are going to be back in a bit, and I don't want them to see their dearest commander all red faced and drunk."

"Seaplanes?"

"Yes."

"Where from?"

Sonoda puckered her lips for a bit and answered, "I had them sent to Camiguin and the surrounding islands of Batanes for reconnaisance."

"Oh, I see." The general gazed at the horizon then returned to lean in and inquire:

"But that wasn't as planned on our overall scheme. We were to steam straight to Luzon, and we don't have much time."

"Honoka," She looked over her shoulder once more, "do you remember why I am wearing a cap with the navy's sigil pinned on it?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." The ginger buried her face on the bluenet's back out of embarrassment, " I almost forgot that the Navy has separate directives to follow... And we're just comrades under a flag, but not in will."

"That's right. There's supposed to be some anonymity between us, with you hailing from regular infantry and me being the overall commander of special landing forces assigned on this theatre."

"Yet you still chose to report on my office as if you were an officer of mine?" Kousaka then curled a very warm, heartfelt smile; a gesture reciprocated by the one eyed devil who replied, "Kaicho won't be mad about it anyways, he's got his hands full on managing Admiral Ozawa's fleet and sending orders for our various officers scattered across the Southeastern front... And a mere deed of crossing borders won't garner such unwarranted attention from a busy man to say the least."

"But hey, im just curious," Honoka raised her brows, "Are you guys going to cooperate with our plans?"

"No worries," Umi confidently shirked, "It just so happened that the great Admiral managed to grab hold of a copy of initials back in Formosa."

Having felt a thorn had been plucked from her throat, the general lets out a sigh of relief and chimed "I guess that'll be enough to make me feel at ease."

"And besides, even if he won't try cooperating... Always remember that I'm in charge of landing operations here, and it'll be ultimately up to my own discretion."

Pleased by the assurance offered by a well respected IJN Captain, the ginger embraced her peer and said, "Looks like I can finally sleep well tonight," then removed the bluenet's olive green cover and fondly massaged her crown.

"What are you doing?" The latter irked from her random deed.

"Nothing," She then stopped and returned to caress her by the shoulder, "It's just that I am happy with you around, that's all."

"You're just drunk." Umi chided and quickened her pace, "I should definitely tuck you in bed before that wine does something bad to your brain."

* * *

Having being chased from an altitude of ten thousand feet, Lt. Yukiho Kousaka of the 243rd's second squadron pushed her way through heavy flak; with the craft descending on a 45 degree spiral in hopes of losing the adamant defenders and their outdated, yet numerous craft.

The zero's Nakajima Sakae engine roared like a thoroughbreed steed on full gallop, maintaining a constant speed of 420 km/h; with great care not to stray into the 500 km mark, or it'll require a feat of inhuman strength just to regain control.

Its wings sliced through the air with ease, unhindered by the fixed spatted undercarriages and wires her adversaries had.

She grinned after realizing that their guns had long been silent, with them having lagged behind. But there's only one thing that kept her eyes panning through the horizon, and that was the threat posed by the lone warhawk that dove in such a height an hour before.

Yukiho didn't mind the gape on her forearm that still spewed crimson through its tanned leather sleeve, paired with the mind numbing sting by a fleshwound on her cheek for all she cared for was to do all it takes to survive this mission and straggle home; no matter how difficult it could be, and by any means necessary.

"Just a little more and I could rest easy."

Soon, the pursuers were nowhere to be found; and the naval ensign had finally reached relative safety in the guise of army Hayabusas, who also braved the incessant barrage of shrapnel laden bombs.

The maiden was amazed at the brightly painted ki-43's, it's torso in a scheme of vivid green with wingtips in yellow, and crimson flaps. But what really caught her sight was its distinct insignia on its tail, a large sun kissed fin that traced its rear aileron and points upward to its tip.

"This logo," She further scanned the nearest craft, and found that it had three red forward pointing chevrons that followed the red sun on its rear fuselage.

"54th sentai, 1st squadron, Imperial Japanese Army Air Force."

Surprised by the sudden appearance of a lone carrier fighter, the wing sergeant immediately cranked the airwaves to life; and after a brief crackle, the redhead's radio blurted with a stark inquiry.

"Identify yourself."

Never wasting another minute as shells crackled about, the foolhardy officer flipped its switch and bluntly replied:

"This is Flight Ensign Yukiho Kousaka of Tainan Air Group."

The army pilot then peered behind its bubble canopy and duly introduced himself with a tenure just as stern as hers.

"Flight Sergeant Tadeo Fukuda of 54th Sentai."

"Fukuda..." She mumbled, then her eyes widened after remembering that Fumiko mentioned about her father working in the army.

"Is there a problem?"

"Nothing, sir."

"What brings you here?"

Kousaka's eyes squinted after his tone deepened, a sign that her presence is not welcomed among the nimble falcons.

But she took a chance with them, and mustered the courage to respond with unfaded resolve.

"I came here to ask for assistance."

"You do not have the right to ask anything from us," He vehemently refused, "We have our objectives, just as you have your own."

"This shouldn't be the time for rivalries," the lass stressed, even if she was pale and distraught from the loss of blood, "We do work under one flag, right?"

The ensign then noticed that something was off, as the fighter squad of three seemed to had been separated from the heavier Toryus they were supposed to protect.

"Besides, we're in the same predicament here. You guys must've also been chased off formation and..."

"It's none of your business." The middle aged man snarled, "We can pull through this without soliciting help from you."

Unfazed by the threat of being blown off the sky from the sheer volume of bofors 20mm, they steadily plotted course amidst deadly blooms of fire and soot; together with the burnt out frames of various craft, that rained all around them in tatters or ablaze.

"Sarge," a wingman interrupted their little standoff, after he spotted an object closing in head on at breakneck speed.

"Looks like we've got company!"

It didn't take long for the unknown craft to reveal which side it belonged to, when it suddenly lets loose of a burst that lit the unlucky Nakajima 43 situated on their far right; then ducked beneath them to evade any retribution, only to surface from a distance and turn for another strafe.

All of them were in shock from the dastardly move, while their ears reverberated with a comrade's agonized shrieks.

"Help!" The unfortunate soul yelped from a cockpit filled with smoke and a tinge of ochre, "I don't want to die just yet! I still want to go home! Let me out of here!"

His desperate pleas were heard in full, but they had nothing left to do but hang their heads with closed eyes, as his aircraft simply nosedived into the void and disintegrated from the sheer speed of its fall.

All of them experienced chills after hearing his voice all garbled and strewn with pain, but with the enemy already on the brink of making another run at them; the veteran decided to take matters into his own hands and ordered the basic airman with him to break rank, in order to confuse their newfound adversary.

"You know what to do, Sawada."

"Yes sir,"

Armed with superior training compared to their commonwealth counterpart, the maneouvre was executed without a hitch; leaving the befuddled Yukiho to remain in place as bait, while they split at opposite directions with darkened patches of smoke to cover their advance.

They were faced with a lone light blue schemed F4F wildcat, an American carrier fighter that came armed with three 50 calibres in each respective wing. It was the mainstay for the American navy stationed in Cavite, a province whose docks were blown to bits a few nights before.

"Sea dog, can you still copy?" Sgt Fukuda radioed in, snapping the strawberry blonde from despair.

Visibly shaken but with bearings intact, she quickly replied to his transmission with a much weakened tone; enfeebled by the loss of warmth which crawled from her fingertips, wrought by the steel spike.

"Y-yes, I can hear you loud... and clear."

A chill was felt soonafter, and it is there she realized that the starboard panel where the throttle, and several switches were all coated in red. Terrified by the sight, Yukiho almost fainted; but was saved from it by a distant memory, a quaint flashback where Honoka's radiant smile burned through the scene of embers, smoke, and blossoming fire.

"Onee-san..."

It was as if she had been plunged into the ocean's murky depths, where only the ginger's voice beckoned; and the rest subjected to a distant blur.

"Yukiho..." The apparition reached out and cupped the child's pale cheeks, muttering a line which the then Lieutenant spoke to her before being sent to serve on Korea.

"Listen to me. Don't you ever give up. Every hardship we face are only trials that test the limits of our strength. There are times when we'll throw the towel and say we're tired, it's done, and it's over... Failing to realize that we're just a step away from achieving what we wished for, if only we believed in ourselves; and pushed through no matter what."

With the words having sung, the apparition of her memories faded; and the young Kousaka returned to a reality where she must think fast, or die trying.

"I wish I had that indomnitable spirit of yours, my dear sister..."

"First things first," The ensign then tended to her wound, by scaling the risks involved on an idea she had spontaneously hatched.

Behind her, the wildcat was on the middle of traversing a very wide curve; due to the bone crushing momentum it had incurred from a shallow angle of attack and a steep evasive maneouvre beforehand, a tedious payoff for a heavy framed craft that relied more on utilizing its weight for an efficient dive.

The falcons remained unseen, and were far from reaching the target; helped in part by the darkness of night, and the veil of virulent smog.

I've already lost so much blood... It's only a matter of time before my body starts shutting down.

Beads of sweat adorned her brows once more, as her hand lets go of the steering rod and carefully untied the scarf that held the damaged limb firmly to its throttle.

But the spike has to go, or I would never be able to stop the bleeding.

Precious seconds ticked by, and to make it worse; another blip of wing mounted lights colored red and yellow on the other appeared from four o clock portside, also in a rush for a swift takedown.

"Damn it, can't I have a bit of peace?!"

With only adrenaline to assist her during this deadly game of cat and mouse, the redhead immediately veered right; barely escaping a mix of tracers and armour piercing rounds from an F4F's heavy machineguns, with the assailant darting past a second later.

"Goddamn yanks," She cussed, and returned to the task at hand; exploiting a window of opportunity that may only last for a minute or so.

But fate was unrelenting towards the vixen with the auburn locks, as a shell detonated right into her rei sen's path; shattering all its canopy's starboard glass, and sent yet another piece of jagged metal to embed itself on the space between her palm's brittle bones.

She screamed with all her might, with hopes dashed by another stray shot. The scarf, a valuable memento of their friendship baptized by fire; was swept through a gap, never to be found nor even replaced.

Her vision turned blurry, all the while looking over a lone piece of cloth that violently wafted through the breeze until it was torn apart by an artillery's shell.

"N-no..." Weary from the battle over Clark, and having sustained wounds her frail mind couldn't comprehend any longer; she grit her teeth as frustration sets in, fuelled by the grievous thought of being a failure and an embarrassment to the family name.

Droplets soon spilt into the creases of her mask; glaring on the dashboard where blots are smeared like a canvas of the macabre, with hopes all but lost and forgotten.

Time seemed to had whittled its pace, while the ginger's heartbeats further intensified; pushed to a threshold by the writhing pangs of pain, and the eerie wind that felt like winter's wrath.

"I feel... numb." She remarked, while wriggling the digits of that one good hand.

"Am I dying? Is... is this how it really feels like?"

While the fuel gauge kept dialling its demise, almost to a quarter of being emptied by the wanton trail that came from its right wing; where only a lucky shot could ignite, and end a career in a cloak of flames.

Then a shadow loomed from behind, and the now disparaged airman knew it could signal the end; as it was no other than the warhawk her kin had so despised. Meanwhile, the first wildcat had returned to take his prize; an officer's head rightfully placed within its sights, coming at her on a low angle that ensured it was swift enough to store momentum to strafe and scoot thereafter.

Reputations aside, the zero; like its army contemporaries, were a much weaker craft in terms of engine performance than what the Americans had in stock. For its workhorse, the Nakajima Sakae 21 was poorly constructed for speed and durability; due to the lack of good alloys and metallurgic industries within the empire's borders. But to make up with this inferiority, all Japanese aircraft of the era sacrificed protection either by armor or self sealing tanks; in the name of its reknowned maneuverability and feared dogfighting capabilities, with the harsh tradeoff of becoming a one shot zippo.

In comparison, the Far East Air Force's Curtiss P36 and 40, with the Navy's Grumman F4F Wildcats were bullet absorbers that could withstand every load their enemy could possibly throw; and keep on flying unless a wing was clipped, engine blown, pilot out of action, or an incendiary round manages to ignite within its rubber lined tank after a hefty load of concentrated bursts. Engine wise, both the Allison and Pratt and Whitney's were very good for high speed performance; ensuring tight turns at speeds exceeding 480 up, with aircraft protected from being torn by drag due to its robust construction.

Yet before the man could let loose of the finishing blow, one of the Hayabusas managed to shadow him mid transit and fired; grazing the pilot's hands by a mere inch, and giving Yukiho ample time to utilize the last bit of strength to enter a dive.

Having his plan foiled by a Ki-43, the man had no choice but to find a way to shake it off his tail; and made a grave mistake of turning sharply to the right, as if he was going to engage him on a dogfight.

With his fate already sealed, and turn easily intercepted with much room for lead and bullet drop compensation on its engine block; the falcon's pilot firmly pressed its button until the pair of cowling mounted 12.5mm Ho-103's flared red, and reduced the pale blue craft to a mere heap of fuming scrap.

"Looks like I've been missing on the fun all this time..." The enemy's ace wried, then set her eyes upon the oblivious jap who had just tallied a kill; swooping down on him like a hawk, and eliminating the competition in a ball of fire after just a few controlled bursts hurled at its rear fuselage.

"Now, time to kill me some zeroes!" She chimed, and continued to retrace the ensign's path through a battlefield strewn with ashen puffs.

Meanwhile, down below; almost 2500ft above the roaring guns, Lt. Kousaka's worn airframe hovered in hopes of finding a more suitable target to vent her rage.

Scanning through scattered anti air emplacements and searchlights that bristled at the fringes of large field facilities, she geared herself for a final lashing against the far east forces; with aquamarines glued on a battered section of runway where defenders ran feverishly while carrying crates of ammunition.

"Their armoury must be close by..." Then with one quick roll through the panorama of embers and pillars of smoke, a smile was drawn across her paled lips; as the trail of what looked to be specs of dust ended at a hangar roughly the size of a matchbox, protected by a myriad of machinegun armed trucks placed on the opposite edges of its meandering boulevard.

"This is it," The redhead took a solemn bow as her end drew near. "This is the only way I could redeem my family name."

Reaching for a pocket, the foolhardy aviator took the only thing that reminded her of home; a watch her father gave during graduation from flight school, where the words "calm spirit" and "safe passage" were etched on its polished surface.

Yukiho then clutched it close to her chest and cried, knowing that she'll miss all those times she had with the ones she loved; including her sister who seemed to had grown distant after taking on a childhood dream.

"I am sorry, but I had already come to terms with it." After which, she wiped off; and tied the piece on the crosshair's base to never lose sight of it, until the very end.

Her hand shivered while it lowered its thrust, bleeding relentlessly; with no hopes whittling down.

Nerves were already drowned in adrenaline, and all that's left to be felt were a foreign objects potruding from skin and bone.

"Strength, don't fail me now... give me one last ounce of it before I go down."

A beam of light then struck its greyish hide, ground crews enthralled by a lone zero; descending with red suns all bare.

Batteries were turned to counter the threat, but were already too late; as their fuses were tweaked to blow past the four second mark.

"Take this and suffer!" The redhead scoffed, leaving them a flurry of shots that kicked dust and debris as it went; tearing through metal, and dismembering flesh.

Men fled the scene, never to look back; horrified by the jumbled sight of steel and gore. While the officer succeeded on knocking a nest out of action, then pulled up just before small arms fire grazed its alloy clad form.

Machineguns buzzed and chucked tracers against its fragile frame, but speed was her greatest asset; zipping unharmed above makeshift emplacements made of dirt, with shots landing a mile off its tail.

Their ears rang with the loud roar of its engine, sending them into a frenzy; shooting at it with all they got, including antiquated revolvers and the cumbersome bolt action rifle.

Everything that lay in the way of Clark's armory were targets waiting to be annihilated, and made no discrimination between man or machine; for as long as they stood there, it's as good as dead.

The rei sen's cannons rattled about, expending rounds that hissed as it flew; while the less powerful yet plentiful .303 thumped on its cowling like an orchestra of snares, both hellbent on making the receiving end have a taste of what fury its user had.

The barren asphalt became littered with the remains of whom she fell, the dead and wounded mixed in a field of red; soldiers who had heeded the call to defend their motherland from an empire's advance, children whose mothers will never see again.

But for Yukiho whose hand is behind their demise, it was all in the name of the Kousaka's honor; not for some ideals taught within the four corners of a classroom, nor for a ruler whose eyes didn't see the true nature of their struggle.

There seemed to be no turning back from that point on, for the ammunition dump's massive doorway loomed at the dashboard; with sensitive contents in full view,locked in stacks of olive green boxes and mahogany crates.

"I'll do what it takes to cripple this enemy's resolve," the ensign then pushed the throttle with all her might, "even if I'll have to ram it with this goddamned plane!"

Sensing that there was no use of defending the already doomed storehouse, some trucks repositioned far to the rear; while those that remained wrought a barrage of lead against the bull headed aviator, who simply flew lower than their guns could bear to the point that it almost touched the ground.

"It's over now." She then expended the last few rounds of its type 99 mk. 1 cannon, and continued to pound with its type 97's; breaking some boxes effortlessly, but without the desired explosion.

With only a few hundred metres to spare, the young Kousaka sibling took the chance to adjust her craft for the intended suicide attack; when out of the blue, caliber 50's in orange tracers snapped its left wing.

"What?!"

Her craft was then sent to a violent cartwheel through Clark's ravaged airfield, shedding bits of duralumin sheets and luminescent sparks; while its right wing was first bent during the ordeal, before being thrown into the sidelines after a few remorseless spins.

With the wings all gone, the aircraft was slammed on its belly; knocking the barely conscious lass cold, and separated the tail from its fuselage.

It was the end of her career, as the craft was put to a standstill just a few feet shy of her intended target; ablaze, and cloaked in a thick veil of smoke.

She, like many others; was yet another killmark for the Italian, who then carried on to defend the base from further attacks that fateful night.

* * *

It was already three in the morning when the last Navy Air Service bomber made its pass, and every officer in Sonoda's operations group waited anxiously on the airwaves for the names of those who never made it home.

Umi on the other hand was on the middle of a briefing with two new ensigns dressed in black regalia, one being the designated leader of a gunboat; and the other, a staff member whose expertise lies in naval artillery.

Each of them were excellent on their chosen fields, and the bluenet couldn't help but examine the marauder's lieutenant; a gal who possessed an uncanny resemblance, except for the deep violet orbs that defiantly stared against her own.

She was to be sent to assist the landings in Aparri within two day's time, while the one with coal black hair and malice filled turquoises was to oversee operations on Nobunaga's battery no. 3; the largest of the three casemated guns situated before its bridge.

After a few moments of exchanging stares, she dismissed them from her office for which they rendered a salute before leave; and gazed by the window that overlooked the decks where her loyal marines were assembled, and awaited instructions from their green clad superiors.

"I used to be the one waiting for orders down there," the Colonel mused, "And boy, time flies so fast."

Then a few knocks echoed, which she divulged; and in came a messenger, all pale and tired.

"Speak."

The man then passed the terrible news, after which the bluenet's composure was wiped off; replaced with grief for a fallen friend, and Honoka's dearest sister.

"You may now go." She then turned to watch the soldiers marching back to their barracks, unable to hide the tears that dripped from such a stone cold guise.

The messenger took a pause and bowed, before he went his way and closed it with great care; so not to raise the ire of the gargoyle who lamented on someone's untimely passing.

"What can I do?" She narrowed her brows to a reflection cast upon its glass, "I can't just tell her that Yukiho's gone..."

Having mustered a course of action, Colonel Sonoda removed any signs of sadness and reverted to the mask of a heartless commander; one who is determined to achieve the empire's goals no matter what it takes, or whatever the cost.

"The last thing I want is a disheartened general, or the probability of losing a friend from suicide."

With that said, she wore the senior officer's peaked cap; a mark of authority personified by a wreathed anchor on blue sash trimmed with gold rope, and laurels etched on its visor.

"I'm sorry, Honoka. But this is for your own good."

* * *

Last note: I really found it difficult to describe aerial battles, it's so fluid and dynamic that I can't keep up and sapped my choice of words!


	14. The Green Mile

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except for this rabble of words. The names of every individual and portrayal of places are only made from the author's mind, and all the girls in this fic are all property of Sunrise.

* * *

 _A young boy strode through a patch of pristine sand, his eyes set to a conch given by the tide that rolled through the crevices of his feet._

 _The day was young, with succinct beams only having sprung from the east; where his humble abode laid right at the heart of its wondrous halo of orange and blue._

 _A mantle of fog obscured the tranquil waters sprawled beyond, while at a distance; the ambience of roosters crowing filled his ears with its nostalgic tune, coupled with the solemn buzz that came from the warm monsoon breeze._

 _It seemed to be just another day for him to loiter about its edge to scavenge for scraps, y_ _et little did this young man know that the waves brought not only whimsical creatures of the deep, but also vessels laden with invaders that came to enact their nation's will._

 _Their bolted keels sank deep within its hallowed soil, and the child could only watch in terror as soldiers jumped from its ironclad hide; armed to the teeth, with anchors soldered into their netted helms._

 _They spoke in a language he had never heard before, nor features that were a far cry to his kinsfolk. Men all clad in green, heavily laden with rucksacks passed by without even batting an eye; keen on taking the prize that lay ahead, a humble town where even businessmen never even dared tread._

 _Then an unusually large craft approached directly up front, and when it made landfall; its hatch viciously crashed with an ear piercing shriek, and a dreaded machine suddenly bursts into life with caterpillar tracks screeching towards the befuddled lad._

 _He thought it was the end, as the mechanized menace crawled with hell bent resolve; only to be saved by a marine who violently pushed him off its path, as he advanced with the rest of his clad crew._

 _Dumbfounded by another shot at life, he sat on the surf aghast under the shadow of its flag; while the conch was gently tugged back to the ocean whence it came, only for it to be squashed by a tanned leather boot._

 _It was the morning of December 10, 1941. The Japanese made simultaneous landings on the coastal towns of Aparri, Vigan, and Gonzaga, setting the course for Kousaka's mission to liberate the islands from the eagle's sinister claws, and the start of the battle for the pearl of the orient._

* * *

 **Chapter 14: The Green Mile**

More than a hundred miles south in the illustrious city of Manila, the morning was abuzz with the ambiance of automobiles and random chatter; as hordes of people darted to and fro its sidewalks gripped with worry when it became clear that there was no stopping the Japanese who captured the northernmost towns few hours after establishing a stronghold at Camiguin. The printing presses were very much alive, feverishly churning copies of dailies from exaggerated tabloids to mainstream news; all with varied headlines, but shared the same thought:

The empire is coming.

Jittery eyes wandered just as their feet restlessly tread, alarmed by the events that unfolded a few days prior; amplified by the paranoia invoked by neatly stacked gazettes on its concrete pavement, and the grievous correspondence blurted on the airwaves. The port was chocked with ships that ferried refugees from the nearby province of Bataan; where they were all crammed like sardines together with their belongings, neverminding the sheer discomfort for the sake of escaping the chaos that was about to spread from Luzon's crown.

Rumors started to spread among the citizens that some airborne units had landed on the central plains and began to disrupt the region's communications, while the intensity of aerial bombardments on various bases never ceased; as the skies were already beneath its crimson rays, and the Far East Air Force having run out of planes.

The bulk of the Commonwealth armies, all concentrated in four lines a few miles off the shores of Lingayen were full of inexperienced cadres; while a brave few stood watch on its beaches, all of them bracing for the storm that was about to pour in a few days time. Men of the elite Philippine Scouts on the other hand were distributed in battalion strength throughout various units in Bataan, with exception of the 26th being assigned in Rosario, La union; right in the path of the Japanese vanguard that may find its way from the Gulf. Marines were also divided in sizeable formations, but are only given to the most critical sectors of the frontlines; together with airmen and sailors who all lost their posts, both of which filled the role of mere infantry. Disparity reigned within the regular's rank and file, their morale in an all time low, the call to arms heeded only by a few who dared; with most conscripted from illiterate and some ill mannered country folk.

Determined to sacrifice credibility than face the shameful spell of defeat, Major Slater was tasked by some shady elements within the echelon to consider the re-enlisment of convicted soldiers; most of whom had spent their early days subjugating Moros in Mindanao and Communists up North, with the premise that their sentences reduced or pardoned in exchange of service but pay and rank equivalent to a private's wage of 15 pesos.

Yet in the time of the nation's dire need of salvation, Eli Ayase and her trusty redheaded sergeant sat on a tram's velvet lined couch as it snaked through a thoroughfare etched right beside Pasig's tranquil waters. They had left Koizumi's hostel earlier that day, and the Russian couldn't help but snooze; for she still felt rather dizzy after being knocked out a few hours back. There, in the middle of sleep's comforting lullaby; a scene from her distant past rolled through, and the blonde found herself running in the middle of a sunbaked field back in the Cordilleras.

It was a time of utmost bliss, and the young Elizaveta wore a smile that was as radiant as the noonday sun. Her worn sandals crackled while it tread on fallen grass, its crisp tune reverberating through the sultry summer air; complimenting a loop of cackles which spelled innocence to every ear it reached.

A hat woven from the thin strands of buri covered a myriad of golden locks, paired with eyes that reflected winter's frozen heart. While a shoddy sleeveless dress exposed the coveted porcelain white hide which turned into a supple shade of pink under the sun, but had nonetheless made all the local girls hiss with envy. She was an outcast among the children of the orient, a little girl whose guise was reminiscent to that an angel; never to lay eyes on the land where her kinsmen thrived.

All she knew was that the soil where her feet stood was home, while the people that lived around them were of her own flesh and blood; even if the color of their skin was much darker, as if lathered in mud.

She may be a foreigner in the eyes of many, but in heart, Elizaveta was a Filipina; her sentience and dreams having spurred in the Pearl of the Orient.

"Eli!" Her mother beckoned from afar, carrying with her a basket filled with suman; a delicacy made with bland sticky rice flavoured with brown sugar, then formed in bars that are wrapped delicately with banana leaves.

"Hold on a sec mom!" The toddler then stopped to watch some dragonflies hovering above the towering stalks of sugarcane which were already ripe for havest.

"Come along now," the matriarch persisted, "Your father's already waiting for us in the shack!"

"Aww, but I still wanna play!"

"There's time for that later, honey."

With a heavy heart, the young Russian exile took one last glance at the whimsical insects; before rushing back to her mother's side.

They made their way through a barren mountainside trail, where a patchwork of rice fields and secluded coconut groves flourished all around; with pillars of smoke brewing about as communities thrived at the foot of brush covered crags that gleamed in gold under summer's merciless rays. Stalks of cogon twice the height of men protected them from its sultry heat, its blades gnashing with an ambience of high pitched whispers and follicle laden seeds aloft by its sultry breeze; a sight that reminded her matriarch of snow, from a land her child may never lay eyes on. "Eli," Her mother then caught one of its delicate seeds and clenched it with reminscence strewn across her faded sapphires.

Curious as to what she had in hand, the toddler pried it open; only to see it blown away to an unknown fate, among its majestic sierras.

"What was it, ma?"

"Snow."

She giggled from giving such a soft hearted lie, then took another which was gently placed on the child's delicate hands. With interest piqued at the miniscule object at hand, Elizaveta pinned her petite pair of blues against hers and inquired:

"Snow?"

"Yes."

Doubt soon laced the tot's budding mind, so she took a peek of it and returned to speak of what Ivan taught her.

"But father said snow is cold, and it's nowhere to be found here."

"Is that so?"

Sophia scratched for a bit after realizing that the once naive bundle of joy had already developed into a being that craved for knowledge, never to be fooled by such fabricated lies.

"Well i'm sorry that I lied to you, honey!"

She then took the bundled clump of seeds from her palm and blew, leaving only its bare stalk to be flicked aside.

"Oh mum, papa had always told me to check on everything you're trying to teach me!"

"He said that?"

"Yeah, try asking him about it. You'll see!"

Leaving a sigh, she focused on the road ahead and griped, "Oh I doubt if he'll ever admit telling you about it."

The lush cogon lined path soon gave way to a rice terrace carved onto its earthen mask, and a lone shack next to a mango tree loomed from afar; where the men were gathered with their wives and children, all enjoying a hefty meal with laughter all around. Ivan saw them coming and ran vigorously like a man who had been starved for months, and Eli couldn't help but cackle as he tripped in every step of the way.

"Sophia! Elizaveta!" The hulking patriarch huffed as he waded through a steep incline, his blue long sleeved tees all muddied with sweat stains on its collar and rolled denims covered in muck.

"Papa!" The toddler ran into his arms, and was duly propped onto his broad shoulders.

"Now how's my little princess doing? I hope you haven't been causing your mum some trouble!"

Being the submissive wife she was, Sophia stood beside him and painstakingly wiped his mug clean with a scarf.

"Ivan, you look like a fourth grader." She sarcastically remarked, which the man responded by stealing a kiss on her cheek. "Eew!" Eli covered her eyes, which the two saw and laughed from such blissful innocence.

"Eli!" Another familiar voice called from beyond an otherworldly realm, followed by a smack to the back of the head which woke the blonde from her slumber.

Peeved by such a rude awakening, she blinked feverishly to cast the blurry film which obstructed her view; only to find Maki sitting right next to her with a devilish set of slanted eyes only a few inches from hers.

"Thank goodness!" The firebrand returned to lean on its cushioned seat, "I thought you've already lost your bearings!"

"Well I would've lost it thanks to that slap."

Having come back to reality, the Lieutenant took the time to scan around; only to realize that she forgot the reason why they were there in the first place.

"Uhm, Maki..."

"What?"

"Where exactly are we going?"

The sergeant bluntly stared at the befuddled superior for a few seconds, then gazed at the scene of sidewalk shops which streaked past the window in front of them.

"We're headed to Fort McKinley, as Major Slater ordered."

Still baffled by the assignment at hand, Eli pretended to had remembered the details; nodding from the redhead's statement which was then followed by a very bland "I see, I remember now."

"Oh you better be, for we're mobilizing in a few days time." Nishikino puts up a stern facade, while the blonde busied herself by fixing every crease on her uniform from the glass' reflection.

"The Japs had just took Vigan and Aparri before dawn, and that Slater's orders may have something to do with you taking command of some men."

"Well, it looks like I'll be busy in the days that follow."

"Yep, plus you'll be worrying yourself with more liabilities and headaches whenever someone screws up."

Lt. Ayase smirked from her peer's words, earning a scowl from the orphan which went:

"Hey, hey! Don't you dare give me that look!"

"What?" She faced the fuming subordinate with flustered brows.

"I may fuck up stuff every now and then, but it's all because I was just following your jumbled orders!"

Taking joy from irritating someone who just couldn't take things lightly, the Russian acted all chill and reclined, as if she had dismissed the scarlet's lame excuse.

Meanwhile, being the hotheaded vixen she was; Maki leaned closer, having felt that she was being shut out by the mischievous senior.

"Hey, are you even listening to me? Eli!"

By which the latter gave a yawn in response.

"Oi!"

And it was followed with some gentle rubs on her stomach, with an eye batted towards the pair of raging lilacs.

"Man, I wish I could have a sandwhich right now. I'm starving!"

"Eli!"

"Alright, alright..." Ayase chuckled, satisfied by her fill of someone's misery, "It was my fault. My bad."

Without even realizing that she was being toyed with all along, Maki harrumphed and pompously declared, "Always remember that soldiers only follow orders!"

Now bemused by yet another one of the firebrand's selfish reasons, she wiped that much despised smug; staring at the naiveté with a glare that could melt the thickest of ice.

 _Looks like someone here lazily follows without using some bit of imagination. . . And out of all people, I thought you were that smart enough to sift through my instructions!_

Their carriage then took a steep turn left, and they were treated to a pitiful sight of refugees crowding the steps of bare brick apartments; most of them women and children who carried only a bag woven from buri, their faces jaunt from the days spent in fleeing the northern provinces mostly by foot due to the shortage of good roads and automobiles.

Those who were lucky enough to afford ferry tickets had already left for the Visayas and the more secluded island of Mindanao; while those who had been raised with silver spoons simply left for the States, leaving only the unfortunate to live at the mercy of the city's already terrorized citizens.

"These people. . ." Eli's sapphires rolled through rows of dirt ridden country folk whose eyes had already lost all hope.

"Now you know what it feels like living in fear." The immigrant aptly remarked as the car stopped in front of a bustling mob that held their arms out for alms; only to be ignored by disembarking passengers, with some being pushed violently out of their way.

The redhead then caught sight of a child sitting next to a wall, her tiny, scab inflicted hands clutching onto what appeared to be a ticket. She was all alone, distraught with disease; but then defiantly stared at the orphan's eyes, causing her to look away with teary violets as the tram resumed its journey with no one else left onboard.

"Maki?" Eli pats the paled out scarlet.

"What's the matter? You look like you've seen a ghost."

"Nothing. . ." She then faked a smile, with all attention set towards her befuddled peer.

"It was nothing really, don't worry~"

"If you say so. . ." The Lieutenant turned away, but left a glance filled with doubt.

Soon, they could hear chants being sung; and the pair moved over to gawk out of the window as a whitewashed wall replaced the dull background of shabby apartments with its narrow alleyways.

"We're finally here," the sergeant reached for the cord to notify its operator that their journey is done the moment it scurried next to its iron gate.

Fort Mckinley was the main headquarters of the Philippine Division, a ten thousand strong cadre that formed the core of the United States Armed Forces of the Far East. It was situated south of the Pasig River down to the creek of Alabang, and was surrounded by seedy bare brick apartments; and a downtrodden neighborhood where houses were made of plywood and rusted metal sheets. The fort also served as a boot camp for both elites and regulars alike; and unlike the polluted ambience sprawled beyond its walls, it was a tranquil spot where grasses remained trimmed and gardens well maintained by the boys in blue.

Meanwhile behind its walls, a pair of blues peeked from behind a layer of blinds; dutifully observing the commotion that became quite the norm a few days since Pearl.

Satisfied by what she saw, the lady dressed in khaki flicked the window shut and picked the phone that rang in fervid beats.

She greeted the man on the other side of the line with a crisp "konnichiwa", her velvet red lipgloss reflecting a faded hue of sunlight that peeked through its niche.

"Rouveryn Ross," The hoarse contact addressed with much difficulty, having switched the first name's letter "L" for "R" and hissed while pronouncing the surname's "S"; the latter trait being a dead giveaway for a Japanese struggling with english.

"Please, refer to me by my name." The girl with bobbed ashen hair wried, by which the guy duly corrected in earnest.

"Watanabe."

"Now that's better," The pretentious staff sergeant then inquired about the sudden call, baffled by the fact that she had already relayed some crucial information a few hours prior.

"What brings you to call me at this time? Haven't I already passed information regarding troop movement and this government's cause of action?"

The line fell silent afterwards, giving her ample time to gaze through the cobbled thoroughfare filled with soldiers all in blue uniforms and tanned boots.

Fed up by the loss of response, and with her befuddled "guests" having walked past its gates; the Kenpeitai's most able spy dropped the call and wore a garrisson cap where the army's golden eagle was pinned on its sides, both clutching a cluster of arrows with the initials U.S emblazoned in a shield found on its breast.

"I guess it's time to run the show." She then went to meet the blonde lieutenant and her trusty sergeant, both of whom aimlessly traversed through a complex where the regulars were neatly lined up.

They were in the middle of their early morning routine, with the sergeant barking orders for them to stand at attention; having noticed that their eyes seemed to had rolled towards the belles clothed in faded browns.

All the boys flinched as the muses strut through its broadway, with some giving them a lustful wink which Nishikino ignored out of disgust.

"Men." The orphan griped, only to carve a jowl when she saw Eli blushing at every step of the way.

"Show some seriousness will ya?" She clicked, "This is a camp, not a cabaret where you can flirt with dogs!"

"Cabaret? What's that?"

Realizing how innocent her superior was when it came to light hearted entertainment centres even if they frequented one back in Corregidor; Maki couldn't help but sigh, and was about to give a scolding when a jeep pulled over with some familiar faces on board.

A fair skinned man wearing a brimmed helm seated up front waved at them, by which the sergeant squinted for a bit and beamed, "Well if it isn't good ol Gunnery Bill!"

"And the king of the road!" Ayase blurted at the private who manned the wheel.

With the acquaintances reunited after quite sometime, her lilacs then caught sight of a fair maiden with grey locks; sitting behind the marine with a folder tucked beneath her sleeves.

In hopes of satiating her curiosity, the redhead leaned towards her mother's close friend and asked, "Who's that?"

"Her?" He stared at the passenger who duly introduced herself to the bumbling duo.

"Staff Sergeant Louvelyn Ross, human resources department." The shady character avoided the subordinate's soul piercing stare and reached to shake the Lieutenant's hand.

"At your service, Lieutenant Ayase."

"Oh," The blonde reciprocated the ashen's amicable gesture, while Nishikino turned to grumble as the former's cerulean orbs latched at the other's with a hint of sweetness.

"Your platoon's waiting for you, ma'am." Ross informed the lass who immediately looked at the neatly lined men whom she exchanged affection with a while ago.

Seeing the gal's response, she duly abridged the statement with a very bland "I'm sorry to inform you, but those aren't the men top brass assigned to us."

"Really?" Eli snapped off her wits and tried to save face, "I mean yeah, I know. . ." then covered her nose with a handkerchief while it became flushed with embarrassment.

"Idiot." The flustered sergeant mumbled, while Bill got down to yield his perch to the novice officer and exclaimed "You're gonna love where we'll meet your soldiers, ma'am!"

"Well wherever it is," the Russian took the spot with a lopsided grin, "I believe they are of good quality, and would serve under my command with utmost obedience!"

With that heard, the old man lets loose of some awkward cackles while the superbly dressed damsel pursed her lips just as the ill mannered China gal clambered right next and Bill after.

"Looks like we're good to go," Eli mused while stealing a glance at Maki who sat with narrowed brows paired with crossed arms.

"Just get on with it." The latter vexed, unable to hide envy's succulent kiss.

And with a quick shuffle of the gearstick coupled by a gentle push of its pedal; the group steadily made their way towards the rendezvous point, where Ayase's first command awaited mobilization in the most unlikeliest of places.

Everyone was silent except for the hum of its engines that fill their ears with its nauseous tune, all eyes wandering through the sea of people which flooded the sidewalks and moved like a herd of cattle.

They were all headed south, taking a shot at refuge on the farthest provinces their blistered feet could reach. A child cried here and there, most of them walking alongside their parents; who in turn carried another behind or cradled a one year old child. Those that are only a hair away from giving birth, crippled, or too old were transported in hammocks or makeshift stretchers made out of blankets, while those who had neither had to make do with tees snuck onto bamboo poles.

The soldiers could only watch as they zipped past, their hearts torn from the sight of faces devoid of warmth or even the slightest glimmer of hope.

The trail of exiles never seemed to have waned in mass during their entire journey through Manila's maze of streets, up until they finally reached their destination; a walled city topped by barbed wire, where the unforgiven thrived within a building styled like a medieval castle at its heart complete with dents where guards peeked from and towers manned around the clock.

 _What? But this is . . ._

Having stopped in front of its gates, the private looked at the officer who had already bled white; whipping up a line laced with sarcasm.

"And this right here is where you'll get down and continue your journey, ma'am!"

"Th-this must be some kind of joke, right?"

Still unable to believe her eyes, Eli dusted it off and tried to read the letters etched above its limestone arch; just to make sure that it wasn't really what she thought it was.

 _New Bilibid Prison. . . New Bilibid P- Oh hell no._

Then in a bid to find a bit of consolation, she turned towards Maki who nervously twirled a lock; all the while putting up a calm facade which the former saw through.

 _This girl is really bad at hiding her feelings._

Ross on the other hand simply disembarked, and went to speak with the guards on its barred gate who promptly slid it open for the group to pass while the other remained on its concrete shack to notify the warden by line.

The old marine and his protege followed after that, while the blonde remained glued to her seat; terrified at the thought of delving into a place surrounded by criminals.

Seeing this, the staff sergeant went to her side and said, "Ma'am, your men are waiting for you."

"Ross . . ." She glared, "please tell me that there was a mistake."

"I'm sorry, but this is what the good Major ordered. So please, let us get inside now to have them introduced to their new commander."

"No!" The maiden stammered, "You must be kidding me! Who in the right mind would enlist murderers, thieves, or even rapists?"

The two continued on with their useless chatter; with Elizaveta acting like a cat that was in the brink of being immersed on a tub while the grey haired vixen kept her cool, and kept explaining to her the details as calmly as she could.

The others just stared at the beleaguered pair, with the gnarly gunnery sergeant leaning to his protege who wasn't so surprised with her peer's childish antics.

"Hey Maki, is she also like this when no one else is looking? At first glance, she looks so calm and composed, not to mention a bit too mature for her age!"

By which the redhead nonchalantly sighed,

"Oh Bill, you do not have the slightest idea what I've been through with this gem of a person."

Then finally, after minutes spent on fruitless arguments; Lt. Ayase listened to her assistant's pleads and left the vehicle much to everyone's relief. With the petty officer on point, she followed suit; but not without a favour to ask.

"Let's just pretend that nothing happened back there, okay?"

"Sure! You can always count on me, ma'am!" She then gave her superior a salute, and led the way.

"And the same goes to the two of you." She gazed beyond her shoulder, garnering a blunt response from the scarlet whose face was riddled with disappointment.

"Yeah, yeah. There's no need to remind us that."

"Good." The Russian then entered its premises, and was impressed by the sight of a fountain on its rotunda; surrounded by lush greenery that displayed its miniscule red flowers.

Then her eyes wandered to a group that had emerged from its belly, who all wore grey uniforms complete with ties and spit polished shoes; armed with revolvers and lacquered truncheons hung by the belt.

She was then greeted by a scrawny middle aged man whose coat seemed to had been tailor made for someone much larger, with sleeves rolled halfway yet neatly ironed out and maintained.

Behind him were several, poorly dressed jailers in the same age range as his; with some wearing only tees, faded uniforms, slippers, or the combination of the three.

 _What in the world . . ._

It was evident that they weren't prepared for their arrival, but the man gave them a warm welcome; even if their guest of the day was unimpressed of their get up.

"Good morning! You must be the officer Slater must've sent to pick up the goods!"

Her eyebrow twitched from the shallow comparison of people to just mere "goods", which she duly corrected even if she was disgusted by the assignment at hand.

"Goods? My dear warden, they may already be unforgiven in our eyes, but isn't it a bit too much to just refer to them as something cheap and expendable?"

The guy chuckled from the blonde's narrow minded response, and gave an apology for such uncouth choice of words.

"My apologies, ma'am." He then called for one of the guards to guide them through the prison complex; as he bid them adieu, to retire in his office.

"I must be on my way now, for there are some important matters I must attend to. Please, don't be afraid to venture within my humble abode."

The scrawny figure left thereafter with his escorts, while Eli and the rest of the gang were staring straight into the dead eyes of their host who courteously briefed them about some of the most important prison rules.

"Before we may proceed with our little tour, please be informed that visitors like you shouldn't stare into the inmate's eyes; and keep off the bars or you'll come home either molested, bruised, or a mortician's ticket to a night out."

Everyone except the pretender became nervous after that, with Nishikino whistling her woes away.

"Now that's . . . Kind of encouraging." She gulped, "So w- where am I supposed to pick these convicted soldiers by the way?"

"Right on the heart of this citadel, next to the green mile." He promptly replied, followed by a grim fact.

"But don't be fooled by its beautiful name. For simply put, most of your men are in death row."

They then ascended through its steps, with Eli still couldn't come into grips as to how the Major hatched such a dubious enlistment scheme.

"Wow." She mumbled, "They must be a really violent bunch."

"Brawls are frequent whenever these ex military men come together, due to the rivalry between those from the army and their elite scouts. . . Then add some stray salty dogs on the mix, and you got yourself a terrible batch of inmates chief would happily expunge on the spot if it wasn't for their deadlines to walk the aisle."

Their worries temporarily waned when they tread through its reception hall, its interior painted in light green with chequered floor possessing an ethereal shine; but the centerpiece of it all was its ceiling, adorned with a copy of Michelangelo's dawn of man in celebration of one's rebirth from an undesirable wog.

But the scenery of utmost splendor was put to an abrupt end when they stood in front of a riveted door, where the man simply knocked and a slit slid with a pair of discerning eyes.

Recognizing his dull visage and lifeless set of orbs, the watchmen loosened its locks; then stepped aside as its levered knob was twisted.

"Good ol warden was very happy when a request of re-enlistment arrived, and for days he wore a smile no one could ever match."

He mused, and precariously pushed the heavy sheet of galvanized steel that separated the realm of freemen and the condemned.

What they saw within was a far cry to the dreamy mask moments prior, a gloomy place of penitence three stories high; where a narrow corridor ran through surrounded with cells where denizens lived like livestock, clothed in shabby orange suits with the black letter "P" drawn behind their tees.

The air became foul with the stench of excrement, the peaceful ambience replaced with incessant howls and the ear piercing shrill of mugs clashing against bare iron bars.

Eli felt like she was about to throw up and refused to take a step; while Maki just covered with a sleeve and did her best to brave the unearthly heat that came from bodies crammed into such small spaces.

Ross on the other hand didn't mind it all, together with the seasoned marine who both kept up with their emotionless guide.

"If this isn't what hell looks like, then I don't know what is!" The blonde cried, skulking on a corner where the guardsmen stood.

"The sufferring contained in this place is what sustains me, and my family. So I enjoy my time here in this desolate place, knowing that my children could live for another day."

The guard maintained his pace while the two lagged behind; hoping to find some relief on the other side of its bare concrete hide.

Devious eyes peered from the darkness of their cells, while whispers mixed with hysterical laughter filled the Lieutenant's spine with an eerie chill.

"Look everyone!" A prisoner yelled to his peers, "Old man brought us some toys to play with!"

With all their attention set to the gals in uniform, the entire block erupted into a frenzy; reaching those muscular arms out to tug at anything they could get their hands with, and forcing them all to follow a path that was only a metre wide.

"I want you!"

"Come here baby! Just for a night!"

"I've always wanted to try something fresh, like that redhead!"

The ravenous and depraved ranted till their heart's content, while the firebrand moved on with a pinkish hue next to her violets; clearly hurt by their constant bickering caused by lust.

"Where are you sluts going? We're right over here!"

"Hey Goldie! I wanna speak with you, alone!"

"Oh I wish I could sniff blondie's hair!"

Eli kept those sapphires glued to the road less travelled, while her legs buckled from the hoarse voices that thundered throughout Bilibid's godforsaken bowels.

I promise to never return to this place again. . . All these people, acting like animals smothered in their own fluids on a cell that would might as well serve as their graves.

Then one of them was lucky to grab the lass' sleeve, and for a split second; she stared into the void, the love depraved lens of a convict who hungered for a woman's touch.

She felt powerless to do away from his callous grip, with terror having smouldered what little remained of her dignity paired by majestic blues that shuddered with fear.

"Where are you going, little girl?"

He was about to haul her into the arms of his comrades when the guide intervened, and struck his wrist with the truncheon.

He howled after the blow snapped through flesh and bone, causing him to push the hapless maiden towards those who flailed madly on the other side; all barking like mad to have a feel, but was denied of it when Maki surged for her senior's aid.

"Eli!" With a swift grab of the collar, she pulled the terrified gal and cradled her on its floor.

Visibly shaken, and pale as a ghost; Eli tried to crack a succinct curve on those delicate pair of lips; only to be hushed by the firebrand who proceeded to stroke her crown out of impulse.

Maki . . .

Tired by the thirst driven antics of the condemned, the guide began to strike at random; finally putting an end to the chaos that was replaced with dead silence.

"Phew, thank god that was over!" Bill then went to help them up, and asked the old man where they could rest easy.

"Say, is there someplace we could sit our asses and relax for a bit?"

"There's a chapel nearby where we could catch our breaths and feel a bit of solace."

"Well then," He looked at the bewildered blonde whose coat was smeared with sweat,

"Can you still walk, ma'am?"

By which she gave a nod, hiding a face visibly shaken beneath those lustrous strands.

With searing lens watching from the shade, they strode through the final length of its damp recesses and took a sharp turn left; to a place where hope resided in a place devoid of light.

It was just a shabby, makeshift shack in a portion of chiseled wall; where rows of hastily hammered benches lined the its barren ground, with an altar made of blackboard that was covered by cheesecloth.

A cross fashioned out of planks painted in white was its centerpiece, and crudely drawn "stations of the cross" in crayons were tacked on its walls for six each side.

It was yet another change of scenery from the disparity that reigned within this walled city, and Ayase sat with a bit of awe; impressed by the determination shown by its builders, and its entire congregation.

It seems faith had firmly rooted itself within such a hellish place.

Her trusty sergeant was right beside, concern riddling those lovely pair of amethysts for the Russian whom she knew for years.

The rest took their place on its adjacent row, tired from the struggle beforehand with sweat cascading down the lines of their guise.

The heavy clouds outside withdrew, and light then seeped through the cracks, turning the place considered to be the bane of craftmanship into a receptacle of its luminous warmth that surrounded them all; with the cross fully embossed on its perch as if Christ had descended to cleanse a convict's heart.

Rendered speechless by such a sight, the young officer's pupils sparkled from sheer delight; while their tourguide, once a man without a soul turned, flexed his arms and exclaimed with utmost pride:

"This is the handiwork of those who live next to the green mile! The most vilest of men who were condemned to die for their faults, but has never given up in redemption even if death is inevitable!"

The orphan was also in awe, but was irked at the thought of a divine being that extended its hands and forgave even the most loathsome of people. Trying to mask her disgust so not to offend the faith ridden blonde, she coughed and crept back to its main hall where the Japanese spy stood by; also with the same sentiment as hers.

Meanwhile the Lieutenant had already forgotten about the prior incident with the inmates and lingered a little longer within its grounds to recollect; just as the old marine went to reunite with his protégé. With the rest of her known entourage having left its premises, she clasped her hands to lean against it as a memory played from days long gone.

The shrills of a newborn filled the refugee's shoddy abode. The young Eli Ayase stood next to her matriarch who slept soundly in bed, exhausted from giving birth to a child cradled by their neighbor.

"Tahan na, anak." (Hush now, my child) The old maid hushed the infant carefully wrapped with cheesecloth, while the toddler stared at her mother; tucked under a sheet with radiant skin reduced to a pasty hue, with faint grays that lined the bottom of her eyes and lips that lost its supple charm.

"Mama?" She raised a brow and reached at her hand that drizzled with cold sweat, hoping that she could notice and respond with a heartfelt smile; a gesture which the maiden would miss for the rest of her life.

"Ma?" The child locked her delicate fingers against the niches of her mother's own, only to withdraw; after a chill crossed over from her weakened husk.

"Eli . . ." She mumbled, with only a bit of strength to let a glint of blues see her dearest daughter.

"Ma!" Eli excitedly lunged in to embrace, by which Mrs. Ayase reciprocated; albeit much slower as she struggled to keep herself up, even if her time slowly came to its end.

Meanwhile, Ivan was out on the fields as harvest drew near; and Sophia could do nothing more than whimper, as she'll be spending the final moments in the company of her children and closest confidant.

Unable to stomach the grief her passing could cause, she decided to lighten the atmosphere and combed through the lustrous strands that adorned the little girl's crown.

Eli giggled from such a feat, and stared back with eyes that glimmered from innocence's lively spell; a sight which drew a succinct crack to her faded mask, together with a ray of hope to be carried over on the other side.

The lynx on the other hand was painfully oblivious of the matriarch's plight, as she looked forward for another stroll with her through the cogon lined trail but with the infant as well.

"Ma, gala ulit tayo sa susunod kasama si baby!" (Ma, let's take a stroll again sometime with the baby!)

But the lady didn't mutter anything in response. Instead, she stopped fondling that sun kissed mane and proceeded to cup her plump cheek.

"Ma?"

Tears then started to flow as burden laden lids steadily drew to a close, and with one last breath; she passed, the moon's endearing light illuminating a smile forever etched in the back of Eli's mind.

"Seems like you have the world on your shoulders, blondie."

Having heard the guard's coarse tone, she looked at him with a smile and replied,

"We all do. Not just me."

The watchman returned his attention to the cross, eager to strike a conversation with his guest; and Eli did the same, enthralled by a person's will to keep believing no matter how grim their fate may be.

Then without further ado, he told her the story of the chapel; and its meaning for everyone fated to walk the green mile.

"A day before their sentences would be enacted, the condemned would come to spend their final hours often in prayer. I've heard it all, and had seen faces filled with hopelessness turned into the sort that had finally found peace. They will tell anything before this shoddy altar; their wishes, aspirations, and even the darkest of secrets. . . But I found it odd at first that sentient beings like us would believe at an unseen force that could bring them salvation, but I guess these people saw something a freeman like me couldn't; especially when death comes knockin on a corner."

The Lieutenant's perspective changed for the better after those words had been sung, and the guy stood up to murmur the chapel's name as he passed.

"Kapilya ng Bukang Liwayway, or the Chapel of Dawn. This is the name of the place fashioned out of materials gathered from our workshops. It's crudely built, but the heart put into this made us sympathize with them."

The figure continued on to rendezvous with her staff, while Eli gazed at its centerpiece one last time; before heading out to fulfill the mission given by Slater.

 _Hope is such a very expensive commodity in a world filled with despair, suffering, and torment. But it all took was a conviction for them to realize that there's still salvation waiting for them on the other side._

With a new insight in mind, she finally met with her peers who was surprised to see their superior's transition from a nervous wreck to one who posessed a radiant glow; evidenced by a grin that the lass couldn't hide as she strode. Maki on the other hand gave her a glare, with a hand on a pocket paired with a foot that pattered vigorously.

"What's taking you so long? Do you have any idea what time it is?"

"Gee, I'm sorry to keep you guys waiting!" The Russian then stood behind their guide who was on the ready to open a set of doors that led to its recreation grounds where her men were to be found; and expected to had been lined up.

"Well," The man proceeded to twist its knobs, "I wish you all the best, and I hope you and your men would go along well young lady!"

The slabs of furnished mahogany parted like the red sea after a gentle push, but the ambience wasn't something they liked at all; as it was filled with yells coupled with blunt impacts that came from some thickheaded acts of pugilism.

"Oh my . . ."

Sixteen men, eight Americans and colonials dressed in their branches' uniforms were in the middle of a brawl between khaki clothed scouts, green gaitered marines, and blue dressed army regulars; while the young inexperienced guards watched on the sidelines, scared to quell the riot instigated by battle hardened soldiers.

One of the jar headed marines, a bald, scar faced, seven feet monster of a man picked a scrawny filipino scout by the collar and threw him away; sending the poor fellow to fly halfway through the area even if his comrades latched themselves onto his muscle bound limbs.

Having seen the Lieutenant's sunny disposition drained down the gutter, Maki nudged an elbow and sarcastically remarked,

"They're men. What do you expect?"

Displeased with the orphan's statement, she glared at her for a bit then deadpanned,

"Ha-ha. Very good. Thanks for that wonderful reminder, Maki."

All of the short yet stocky built Filipinos soon worked together regardless if they're from the Army or the scouts to take on the American behemoth who simply laughed as he spun like a carousel, while the rest of his white skinned peers continued to go at each other; even if blood started to trickle from the tip of their brows.

"It sure looks like they're having fun." Bill gave his nape a scratch, embarrassed at how the former marines acted like total neanderthals.

Meanwhile, the vixen with the ashen locks couldn't help but sigh; and simply rolled her sleeve to see what time it was, followed by a succinct peek to her new senior who didn't even dare make a move to control the rampaging soldiers.

Exasperated by the lack of action, she drew her colt, cocked, then strut towards the mass of brawn and beer bellied veterans to fire a shot that landed shy of the giants foot; snapping the convicts from the throes of agression, while soliciting some shocked stares from everyone else.

With her presence duly recognized, Ross returned the pistol to its holster and faced the penal platoon with blues as cold as ice.

"Alright, listen up you wankers! If y'all keep up with those stupid antics, y'all be dead before facing some Japs!"

"Whut?" The bald monstrosity then puts the terrified filipinos down, and leaned over to examine her entirety.

"We won't be following orders from a wench like you!" He growled, yet the staff sergeant never flinched and locked foreheads with him; while the rest approached with caution, as some of the inmates puffed their chests for intimidation.

"Listen here, you dickhead. I have the papers that will guarantee your ticket from this shithole; but if you do not want to follow the Lieutenant or any one of us for that matter, I'll have your chance of freedom forfeited and off you go to the electric chair!" She then panned an index at them and warned, "And the same goes to everyone who will keep acting like a gorilla without our orders!"

An eerie silence commenced soon after she meted out such big words, while the big man withdrew from the shrew's deathly glare and went to his place on the second line; as the men organized themselves for inspection with ten men up front and five behind, while the gargantuan was found below the tenth man to "square" the platoon.

"Looks like my work here is going to be an interesting one." She turned to the blonde who was surprised by the bravado beforehand and gave a salute paired by a voice laced with utmost glee.

"Ma'am, the men are ready to receive further instructions!"

"At . . . At ease." Not knowing what to do, Eli took a deep breath and whispered, "Ross, what now?"

"Huh?" The maiden furrowed her brows.

" This is my first command, and I sincerely don't know what to do. . ."

"Ohhh~" She then gave the folder to her and winked, "Just introduce yourself and express your expectations. You can then dismiss them afterwards."

"And this folder?"

"It's yours to keep. Written there are their names, campaigns, and facts of the case with corresponding individual court orders for conditional parole."

Piqued by its contents, the lass rummaged through its pages and saw that it was all typewritten data without any mugshots at all.

 _Great. Just great. Looks like i'll have them introduced to me like grade schoolers would._

Noticing the senior's grief exemplified by squinted lens, Watanabe duly apologized for the discomfort caused by the rushed order.

"Sorry about the mugs, the Major's office just sent it to me last night. And to tell you, I was also shocked for the timetable and orders from him."

"What do you mean timetable?"

"We'll be scrambling for the frontlines tonight, specifically as an augmentation force for the 26th scouts on Damortis, a sleepy hamlet in the municipality of Rosario, La Union; and we don't have much time left to dilly dally, so please let's be quick and get this over with."

"But this platoon, what is its designation and parent unit? We can't just march in there and tell the battalion commander that these men came from prison. . ."

After a brief pause, the brunette finally remembered it and replied "1st light reaction platoon, Lingayen Garrison Force. In short, we're well within the bounds of a special forces unit minus the credibility due to them being convicts . . . Not to mention that we're the only unit in the entire garrisson force with the light reaction designation."

"Okay," the still bewildered officer clipped the useless bundle of documents aside and puts up a calm facade; for she knew that men like them respect those who could keep a leveled head coupled with ironclad leadership, due to her growing up at a place where only the strongest gets the affection of the villagers.

Placing a hand over her bust, she paced forth and duly introduced herself to the boys who all haggled from an angel's dreamy visage.

"I am Marine Second Lieutenant Eli Ayase, and I will be your C.O from this day onward."

With the initial phase done, she went on to express her expectations; all the while keeping those ice ridden eyes dead set against the convict's own to solidify dominion over them and to carry the message that she wasn't the type to be trifled with, even if everyone else had just known her as an immature cat that gets frightened by the slightest jolt.

"I expect all of you to be obedient under my command; for your lives will depend on my assessment of your actions and trust me, I won't even hesitate to have you shot rather than to be left to suffer an agonizing death on a chair."

The men became livid after that, and the blonde felt joy for gaining a bit of respect she had always wanted.

"Griping is not allowed, and I do not want to hear any disrespectful words meted towards me or my staff."

But then her face lightened up, and everyone felt at ease.

"But I do encourage speaking your mind, just as long as the approach is amicable and has nothing vulgar attached to it."

With her requirements almost done, she tucked her hands behind and said,

"Respect us, and we will respect you. We are a team against a common enemy, so please set those differences aside and focus with the defense of this land; for if we fail, its not only us that would perish," The officer then looked over to the orphan whom she was very fond of, "But also those we hold dear."

Returning gaze towards the already galvanized troupe, the young Russian exile appealed to them one last time,

"It feels so much for me to ask of something that you had already forgotten for quite sometime, but I could still see the potential for redemption; if only you'll all decide to put your hearts into it and fight as allies in this grand endeavour, for the sake of our children's future."

Having everything expressed, she smiled; and welcomed them under her wing.

"For now, congratulations. You are all free men during the course of this war. We are now a part of Lingayen Force's only light reaction platoon, an elite unit tasked to reinforce the scouts holed out at Damortis. And in the moment that this conflict is over and you are still in one piece, consider all your crimes pardoned and you are all free to reunite with your families."

A minute of yet another deafening bout of silence ensued, then a corporal up front whose nose was bloodied and bruised barked,

"Present, arms!"

By which in a flash, the motley crew of battle worn rogues gave a salute to the girl who promised to be their light, during the nation's darkest hours.

It was already seven in the evening when they returned at the walls of fort Mc Kinley, their progress hampered by the need for a physician to assess her soldier's wounds. Trucks were already lined up on its sides, while men clambered onto its canvas enclosed compartments with packs heavily laden with gear.

The Corregidor duo on the other hand watched the commotion from afar with duffle bags slung on their shoulders; for kits were to be issued together with respective firearms once they reached the forward HQ on Damortis' outskirt.

"It seems like we'll be taking the scenic route." Maki remarked, her violets glued towards the road beyond where faint halos of blues that crown the city's metropolitan skyline.

"Eli," She then rolled it towards the convicts who leaned against a transport together with the other two; then to the officer who stood next to her whose sapphires were filled with worry, "Do you think we could entrust our lives to these men?"

"I was wondering too myself." The Lieutenant gazed at the group who exchanged amicable stares with some giving the cheerful Ross a shake as a sign of introduction.

"But if redemption in essence means giving someone a second chance, then why can't I?"

"You know, you're starting to sound stupid as time goes by."

Eli just chuckled from the sergeant's feedback, knowing all too well that its the orphan's way of showing that she cared deeply for her safety.

"Oh Maki," she gave a playful wry, then gently ruffled the latter's crown.

"You're always so grumpy, don't you know that?"

 _But I wonder what I might've becomr if I haven't met this little tomato? I mean, Maki had always served as my conscience even to the point of being like a motherly figure to me. . ._

"Eh? Get that hand off me!" The feisty firebrand tried to do away with it, but the blonde simply withdrew for a bit and pinched her cheeks.

"Eli!"

Exasperated by her senior's mischievous deed, the child held onto her wrists; but the gal wasn't so keen on letting go, and pressed the flustered pair like juicy tomatoes.

"Goddamnit!" Determined to even the scales, Nishikino grabbed onto Ayase's shapely waist; causing the slavic belle to squirm and concede to the subordinate's demands.

"How'd you like that?"

Elizaveta held her hands up in defeat, but went on to giggle from it.

"Alright, alright! I concede!"

"Good." The redhead crossed her arms, "Don't expect me to just remain tame through it all, you big bully!"

"Me? A bully?" She leaned closer with a smug, "Well look who's talking, little miss sourpuss who likes to leave snide remarks every now and then~"

Then right before the pair could drown themselves in senseless talks, Louvelyn approached them and tapped at the C.O's shoulder.

"Hmm?"

"Aren't you going to mingle with your men? They have no mugshots, remember?"

"Oh, right!" She stole a glance at the sergeant who simply looked away out of sheer disinterest. Pursing her lips, Ayase raised those lovely set of brows and beamed, "I'll be over there in a jiffy!" Before turning to grab the tsundere's arm.

"You're coming with me, sergeant."

"Hey! Get your grubby mitt off my arm! I could walk over there on my own you know!"

But amidst the scarlet's protest, the warm hearted Filipina came over to the get acquainted with the group; even if the fuming gal winced at her grip.

"Oh hey! It's the yellow bar and that cheerful lass with chevrons!" A man with weird english accent hollered as they drew near, while the rest of the crew looked at them; eager to introduce themselves especially to the angel that possessed lustrous threads of gold.

"Good evening," She stopped in front of them and sets the red faced cinnamon roll free.

"Cheerful. . ." The chinese immigrant grumbled as she dusted her coat, "more like pissed."

Then another one of the convicts, a dashing fellow in his early 30's; medium built and sported the standard military cut like the rest except for a curled moustache, stood up and kissed her hand, an act that surprised the maiden who wasn't accustomed to a man's touch.

"Uhh . . ."

Meanwhile, the corner of her eye; a searing pair of violets sizzled with jealousy, but reverted to her usual blunt state when she caught sight of cerulean orbs glancing right back.

"Mademoiselle," The shady character that possessed a very suave voice lets go of it and knelt with a hand on his chest , "Private First Class Jacques Fosch, once served in Indo-China before my government became a slave to Nazis. Engineer extraordinaire at your service!"

Flustered by the effort put into the simplest deed of introduction, the novice officer turned to chuckle; while his little show was cut off by very rude jeer that came from a convict with the weird accent.

"But all you did was blow things up, Frenchie! Shame on you!" Followed by some unearthly guffaws.

Having had his honor insulted by a fellow engineer, he rose to confront him; but was ushered to the sidelines by the Americans who gave the spotlight to the guy wearing a brown cocked hat synonymous with the British commonwealth.

And unlike the frenchman, the clean shaven man with grey hair wasted no time and reached for a shake.

"Name's Barry Howe! Former private of the queen's engineer corps, and incarcerated for burning a nightclub during a brawl!"

"Ha! Stupid Aussie guy!" Foch heckled while under the restraint of burly marines.

"Well," She duly reciprocated his gesture of friendship, "Nice to meet you, Barry. But I have a question though."

With the formalities done, the pyromaniac withdrew and raised his brows.

"How did you end up here in the first place?"

"Oh it's simple!" He then gave off some awkward cackles, "I was on a very long leave, and just happened to visit Manila during the final leg of my journey towards Macau!"

It was the American's turn to have themselves introduced, and all four of the navy's elites which included the seven feet tall meathead stepped up to be noticed by the Russian; three of them muscular in build and all well dressed, except for bruises scattered on their well chiseled faces.

The first one to have himself presented was a man on his thirties who was scrawny with a pair of round glasses.

Seeing this, Eli squinted those cold lens of hers; severely unimpressed by his stature. Yet even in the shadows of prying eyes that could figuratively melt steel, the trooper stood at complete attention and yelled his name, designation, and the case he faced.

"Private Mike Mc Coy, marksman. Arrested for the possession of opium and murder."

"That's quite a hefty case you got there, but had you served in some campaigns?"

"Fought some moros for years."

"I guess that'll be enough for you, trooper. Go and get rested up."

The thinly built fellow simply took a step back, and returned to lean against its engine block.

Another took his place, a blue eyed blonde on his late twenties. He had the physique of a footballer, and Eli felt her heart was stung by his unblemished visage paired with a well maintained pair of chests that looked like it was going to rip through its buttons.

 _I could sense that someone would be upset once I try talking to this hunk during my free time._

"Private Joe Holstein, rifleman. Served on the same unit as Mike, and also charged with the possession of opium and homicide."

"Well hello there, Joe." She muttered with the sweetest tone, then batted an eye towards her peer who pretended to cough in a bid to hide some resentment brewing about her chest.

 _But I sure do enjoy making her mad every once in a while!_

"Ugh," Nishikino recovered from her pointless gig, "This could take forever!"

"Oh be patient will ya?" Eli smirked, and poured all her attention to yet another black haired stud who had just stepped forth as the other retired.

 _Oh boy, oh boy. . . Looks like i'm into a treat with them around!_

"Private Louie Bergmann, rifleman. Participated on some atrocities against natives, and was in the same unit as the others."

"Hold on," the lass pinched her chin, "So all four of you guys had basically served in Mindanao?"

By which all of them nodded in agreement.

"I see," The vixen returned to marvel at his form, then duly dismissed so she could be treated with the sight of his shapely butt.

 _It wouldn't be bad to try flirting though. I am a girl after all. . ._

Another glance was given to the gal with the auburn glazed crown who was fed up with her seductive innuendos that she decided to clamber up its passenger's seat.

 _Man that kid. I just don't get why she'd be upset about it. Maybe I should make up for her before we leave._

The sun's dull rays were soon smeared by a hulking mass of muscle and bone whose breaths sounded like wails from a brazen bull. Realizing that there's one more seadog left to be known, Eli slowly pinned her head to its source and found the bald headed honcho staring down with faded scars written all over its leathery hide; marks of vicious struggles and unsung victories that could drive an average man insane from bitter agony.

Terrified by the cretin's grotesquely marred mask, she was about to take one step back; but decided not to when she remembered that these type of men were very cooperative once they had spotted a leader capable enough to control their primal urges, and that meant standing her ground beneath his beleaguering shade is already sufficient enough to send a message that she's never giving in to his little show of strength.

Everything then went to a standstill,as a brief clash of wits raged between cerulean lens and faded greens. Then in a flash, Ayase broke the barrier between them and sassed,

"So are we just going to stand here till morning?"

The giant was intrigued by her response, then cleared his throat to present a nibble of information to satisfy the maiden's whim.

"Private Ben Jones. Heavy machinegunner. In it for atrocious deeds, and going AWOL."

Her focus then shifted from those malice laced lens to the wounds he bore throughout every bit of skin bared under the sun.

"What happened to you back then?" Eli crossed her arms to show that she was unafraid of him, "Why does your skin resemble like a blackboard scribbled upon by a toddler?"

The overgrown grunt just tapped on his belly and laughed at such a sarcastic comparison; then leaned in to give her a more detailed, and closer look.

Callous scales covered the entirety of his wounds, its jagged lines directed at random with its heart found on the bridge of his nose; bearing the uncanny resemblance to an algorithm's asterisk, except that it was once written in blood and soiled with tears.

"You have no idea what we faced back there, men who tied ropes over every bare extremity ran into us like animals that had just been released from their cage; never stopping until their existence was wiped off by a ton of bullets, or going home with a sworn adversary's head."

"Juramentados," Maki pulled through the driver's seat and stood behind the battle marred veteran, "every young marine who finished basic training at Sangley would be sent on their turf to prove themselves there. All of that just for a red bordered stripe and its coveted patch."

"Maki. . ." The russian mumbled with pity, while Ben looked over his shoulder and wried "Looks like you're tougher than you look. What's your name?"

The sergeant pompously bobbed her scarlet locks and replied, "I'm sorry, but that information is highly classified."

Hearing this he was sent into another set of low toned cackles, before reuniting with his green gaitered crew who were exchanging random chatter on the sidelines.

With Ben out of the way, Maki looked at her with a smug; while the Lieutenant just stood dumbfounded from the tidbit that this seemingly harmless flower had revealed.

 _On the outside, Maki seemed to be just a regular gal with a spoiled personality; and it didn't occur to me that she had already tried her hands on murder at such a very young age._

Her stomach ached at the thought, for a cinnamon roll like her couldn't even dare slit a chicken's throat nor stand the smell of decay. But war's virulent curse already loomed at a distance, and she must come to terms with it and be willing to take one's life in exchange of her own.

 _But I too someday would partake on such a gruesome task, an unavoidable chore that lay within my line of duty._

"Is there something you'd like to say, blondie?" Nishikino giggled from her senior's awkward stare, snapping her off it and roll those orbs off those lilacs that fully bloomed with vanity.

"Nothing, it's just that someone here is being full of herself."

"Oh yeah?" The orphan then tapped an index at the tip of her peer's nose, causing the latter to flinch from its ticklish spell.

"While it looks like someone here is a little jealous of it."

"No i'm not." Eli swerved away to hide a blush.

"Oh yes you are. Admit it."

"In your dreams," She then remembered a surefire way to shut everyone who had the same feature as the damsel in front; and eager to put an end to it all with a word uncalled for due to its racist theme, she came back with a wry and mused, "Chinkee."

In a split second, Maki's arrogant facade melted like wax; replaced with anger evidenced by the deep red tinge on her cheeks and dull shade on its guise's entirety, the once beautiful consort now turned into a fuming ruffian who itched for a fight.

"Eli . . ." The tigress laid a hand on her shoulder, with the lovely pair of lustrous violets hidden under the shade of her coveted red strands.

"You do know what that word means, right?"

Still retaining that dubious smile even in the face of fury's incarnate, the blonde was about to agitate her further just for the heck of it when the ashen veiled Ross stood in their midst.

"What's going on here?" She spared some glances at each of them, and scolded with a voice that almost fell into a whisper, "please act decently in front of our men! We are exemplars, not narrow minded bruisers!"

"Don't worry," Eli shrugged the subordinate's concern and towed the befuddled redhead beside to fondle with her crown, a time tested deed of childish affection that had always been effective at subjugating the hot tempered shrew. The tension between the three of them dissipated into thin air as it was turned into a comedic spectacle with Maki flailing madly under the Russian's arm.

"No! not this again! Eli!"

You's uptight demeanour slowly lightened into innocent cackles, while the gold laced vixen enjoyed ruffling those fiery strands; for the fragrant scent of vanilla wafted about in every stroke, sending her to unwarranted bliss at the orphan's expense.

"Goddamnit!"

But when everything was going well for them with two white scouts and eight browns left to be indexed; the driver arrived from McKinley's confines, carrying with him a manifest where their names were to be listed for payroll.

Relieved and at the same time vexed by the sudden interruption, the officer released the teary eyed peer and signalled for the rest to have it filled; which the men duly complied with utmost glee, knowing that their primal urge for battle will be fulfilled in a few days time.

"I can't wait to slap myself some Japs!" Ben beamed like a giddy tot as he took the parchment from the helmsman's hands, while the others fell in line with duffle bags slung on their shoulders; confident that the battle for the gulf will be an easy one, given by the homecourt advantage on familiar terrain and the sheer number of mobilized recruits.

Determined to share their zeal, the two sergeants went on to mingle with the crew; leaving the blonde to ponder from afar, her eyes set to a patch of sky where faded bands of orange still lingered long after sol's endearing warmth perished into Manila de Bay's pristine waters.

I pray that victory comes swift, with this country delivered from the evil rays of the north."

With everyone having such high spirits, the young officer cast all those worries with a deep breath, while northerly winds blew past those sun kissed locks; bringing with it both the age old curse of war and the succinct promise of victory.

Then her thoughts raced towards her father, whom the gal had never seen nor had a letter's response ever since she followed the soldier's path.

 _Father, my love for you still remains strong; together with a yearning to return safely by your side. There was never a dull moment where I haven't thought of you, even if it appeared that you had already disowned me because I refused to follow your wishes._

* * *

Last note: Time flies by so fast.


End file.
